Houston DWI Defense Lawyers

Serving Clients throughout Harris County with 50+ Years’ Combined Experience

DWI is a serious offense in Texas that can have major implications for your life. A DWI charge can affect your career, your personal and professional relationships, and leave you with a permanent criminal record detrimental on several fronts, from gaining future employment to professional licenses, educational aid, and more. Why take chances on your defense when faced with such a situation. Getting the best possible case outcome will rest on having a competent and dedicated defense attorney, one who is experienced in this area of law, familiar with the local courts and how they operate, and who has a reputation for success.

At Morgan Bourque Attorney at Law, our Houston DWI defense attorneys qualify for all of the above recommendations. We have garnered awards by the National Trial Lawyers for Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Top 40 under 40. Our team has more than 50 years of combined experience dealing with DWI and other criminal matters in and around Houston and we have earned a position of respect from clients and peers alike. No matter how complex or difficult your case may be, we have the depth of knowledge and skill to give you the best chance of a positive outcome.

DWI arrest? Request a consultation online or call (713) 535-9711 to arrange to speak to a Houston DWI defense attorney today.

DWI Arrests in Texas

In Texas, you are legally drunk and therefore subject to arrest under the following conditions:

• You are an adult over the age of 21 whose blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measures .08 percent or higher on a chemical test

• You demonstrate an impaired ability to drive due to alcohol and/or drugs as witnessed by law enforcement regardless of your BAC

• You are a commercial license holder whose BAC measured .04 percent or higher while driving a commercial vehicle

• You are under the age of 21 with any detectable amount of alcohol in your system

According to Texas law, you can be arrested for drunk driving if you are in a position of being able to operate your vehicle, whether you are actually driving it or not. The word “operate” is key here and has a broad definition.

Penalties for a Texas DWI

The penalties you will face upon a conviction will depend on whether this is a first, second, or subsequent offense and other factors, such as whether your BAC exceeded .15 percent or whether you were found driving with a minor in your car.

First-offense penalties can include 72 hours up to six months in jail, fines of up to $2,000, a license suspension of 90 days up to a year. If your BAC exceeded .15 percent, jail time can extend up to a year with fines ranging up to $4,000. If you are found driving drunk with a passenger under the age of 15, you can be charged with child endangerment punishable by up to $10,000 in fines, up to two years in jail, and a license suspension of 180 days.

Jail time may be suspended in lieu of probation during which you will be required to abide by all of the probationary terms (called community supervision) which can involve community service hours, alcohol/drug education classes or treatment, and other restrictions. A first-offense DWI is generally charged as a Class B misdemeanor which will leave you with a permanent criminal record.

Second & Subsequent DWIs

A second DWI within a five-year period will result in steeper penalties. A third DWI within a five-year period will likely be charged as a third-degree felony punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, two to 10 years in prison, and the loss of your license from 180 days up to two years.

Get Exceptional Legal Help from Morgan Bourque Attorney at Law

While it may seem the state holds all the cards when it comes to a DWI charge, that is not the case. Defenses do exist for DWI but you will need an attorney who knows how to uncover flaws and errors in the state’s case against you. These may be found in many aspects of a DWI arrest, from the initial stop to how your chemical test was conducted and more. Our firm is adept at investigating all factors of any DWI case that may be useful in devising an effective defense strategy.

Call us at (713) 535-9711 today to learn more about how we can defend your DWI case.