A skilled lawyer in Royse City, TX is essential for someone who has caused property damage or injury while driving under the influence of alcohol. Those circumstances are considered aggravating factors for the offense of driving while intoxicated and can result in much harsher penalties. Making sure the penalties issued are as lenient as possible is a primary goal for the attorney.
One way that a DWI lawyer in Royse City, TX may be able to have the charges reduced or the case dismissed is by discovering negligence or recklessness on the part of the other driver involved in the accident. Even if law enforcement has determined that the attorney’s client caused the incident, the other individual may hold some responsibility. For instance, the other driver may also have been drinking. That person may have been speeding or checking their cell phone. Those actions might be considered as contributing to the collision, leading to lesser charges or lower penalties for the person initially charged with DWI.
With a DWI conviction that includes additional factors like damaging another vehicle or a building, or causing bodily harm, certain minimum penalties are required by state law. However, a judge has the discretion to make penalties more severe if they believe this is advisable. In Texas, driving while intoxicated is considered a criminal offense. A first DWI conviction with no aggravating factors is a misdemeanor, but a judge can still sentence the individual to a full 180 days in jail if so inclined.
The situation becomes significantly more ominous if the driver has caused serious injury to another person. Having an attorney like the ones at the law offices of Tim Hartley becomes imperative to prevent the worst consequences. A judge may issue a jail sentence of up to 10 years upon conviction; that conviction is a felony. The monetary penalty can be as high as $10,000. A sentence of probation would obviously be much more preferable, even with its range of behavioral restrictions and reporting requirements. Click here to begin the process of obtaining aggressive legal defense for DWI.
