Fourth Degree DWI in Minnesota

Misdemeanor DWI

FIRST OFFENSE DWI’S IN MINNESOTA

In most situations, a first-time DWI arrest will result in a criminal charge of Fourth Degree, Misdemeanor DWI. It’s the “lowest” level of DWI offense in Minnesota, according to statutes. It also needs to be fought to preserve your record. That’s because “lowest level” does not mean you can, or should, ignore the consequences. Minnesota has two types of drivers: those who have a DWI conviction on their record and those who don’t. You definitely want to be in the latter category.

CONSEQUENCES FOR A FOURTH DEGREE DWI

In Minnesota, a Fourth DWI comes with a “maximum penalty” of 90 days in jail and a fine of $1,000. It is practically unheard of for anyone to be sentenced at the maximum, so there is little reason for you to worry that your DWI arrest will result in such a sentence, no matter where in Minnesota you were arrested. Unlike every other degree of DWI, there is also no “mandatory minimum” penalty for a Fourth Degree DWI. Every county is very different, and often has a standard sentence that they will use for first time DWI offenders that rarely involves actual jail time.

Outside of jail and fines, a misdemeanor offense like Fourth Degree DWI sentence typically involves: putting someone on probation for one to two years, the requirement that the person either be evaluated by a chemical dependency evaluator or attend a specialized DWI awareness class, and the requirement that they attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) “Victim Impact Panel.” Other conditions may also be imposed by the court, including a restriction on your ability to consume alcohol, random testing, and, of course, losing your driver’s license. But perhaps most damaging is the fact that once convicted, you will have a DWI conviction on your criminal record for life, with all of the consequences that go along with such crimes, especially when an accident is involved.

Keep in mind that the above information applies to someone who is convicted of fourth degree DWI; if you’re hiring Ramsay Law Firm, the goal is to avoid any alcohol related conviction, and thereby also avoiding some or all of the consequences listed above — especially keeping your record clean. Some clients may later inquire about expungement options.

CHALLENGING THE DWI ACCUSATIONS

DWI Defense is what we do, and when you have us on your side, you’ll fall asleep at night knowing that we have every angle covered. Minnesota’s DWI court process can be confusing to someone who has never been arrested before, but we know DWI Defense better than anyone, and are going to be there to walk you through it.

All of the evidence (the facts, witness statements, the officer’s dashboard video camera, BAC test results) and any other relevant pieces of information will be used to build a strong defense for you. Our number one goal will be to get the charges against you dismissed, or at least dramatically reduce the consequences of impaired driving.

AVOIDING MISDEMEANOR DWI PENALTIES

That’s our goal — either reducing or outright avoiding the consequences that come from having a DWI conviction on your record. By both avoiding the criminal consequences of a DWI conviction, and avoiding the effects a DWI will have on your driving record, we hope to put your life in the same place it was in the day before you were arrested (minus some rather unpleasant memories that can hopefully be chalked up to a “lesson learned”).

By keeping that impaired driving arrest from turning into a conviction, we will save you all of the headaches that come with, such as: travel to Canada will be easier without a DWI conviction, fear of background checks from employers or landlords, the risk of getting caught up in a probation violation case, your insurance premiums won’t skyrocket, ect. . . In the end, you’ll be able to look back and say, “because of Ramsay Law Firm, I’m not one of the unfortunate souls who are currently going through life with a DWI conviction on their record.”

That’s why we’re here.