Should I Hire A Minnesota DWI Lawyer? Recent Results Show the Benefits of Being Represented By Ramsay Law Firm
Whether it is worth hiring a lawyer is a very common question people ask after being arrested for a DWI and it is a fair question, especially considering the financial consequences of a DWI that make the idea of an additional expense difficult to bear. Ultimately, each individual will have to come to their own answer because the consequences of a DWI affect everyone differently. Here are some factors to consider when deciding whether to hire a lawyer and some recent results here at Ramsay Law Firm that show the benefits of being represented:
You do not need our help falling on the sword. If you want to plead guilty and accept all the consequences of a DWI at your first court appearance you do not need help from Ramsay Law Firm or any other DWI lawyer. You can do this on your own. Ramsay Law Firm is here to help those that want to see the consequences for a DWI reduced or eliminated.
Your license is on the line. The first realization that hits many drivers is that they are about to lose their license. For some it will be for 90 days, and for others it can be 3 or more years without a license. Not only will a license revocation make it difficult to get around and fulfill your work and family obligations, it will also be used to enhance any subsequent DWIs, even if the criminal case resolves as something other than a DWI.
Ramsay Law Firm has a track record for getting our clients their licenses back. We have defeated breath test results based on scientific challenges, proven the affirmative defense of physical inability, convinced appellate courts that due process rights were violated, and had evidence thrown out due to improper police conduct.
Your job might be on the line. Anyone with a Commercial Driver’s License (“CDL”) has their livelihoods at stake when they are charged with a DWI. A conviction will result in an automatic suspension of their CDL license, making them unemployable. Also anyone in sales or whose jobs require them to make trips is in danger of losing their job. And others work for an employer that has a strict policy about firing anyone who is convicted of a DWI or other crimes.
Earlier this week we had a client who would have lost their job if convicted of a DWI. We knew that defeating the criminal DWI charge was vital to our client’s ability to work and make a living. Ultimately, the Third Degree DWI was amended all the way down to a careless driving charge, and our client was NOT CONVICTED OF DWI.
You may be facing jail time. One of the major concerns of drivers charged with a DWI is if they will have to go to jail. They may have spent the weekend they were arrested in jail and never want to go back, or have never been to jail, either way the fear is the same.
We fight against even the potential for jail time in a number of ways. First, fighting the charges is the best way to avoid jail. If the case is dismissed, you will not be receive any sentence. Creating a strong defense also encourages the State to give more favorable deals. Which is the second way of eliminating the threat of jail – negotiating from a position of strength and convincing the State to agree to not send our clients to jail.
The third way a DWI lawyer can help you avoid jail is by arguing the proper sentence to the judge. This occurs when a deal regarding jail has not been reached or there is a conviction at trial. Just this week we were able to convince a judge to spare our client from prison time after she was convicted of a felony DWI. Furthermore, the judge gave our client a jail sentence well below the mandatory minimum and allowed the entire sentence to be served on home monitoring. Our client was thrilled that she will not have to step a foot in jail. This is a fantastic result considering the jail and/or prison time she was facing for a felony level DWI.
Your DWI punishments may affect your family. How a DWI can affect your family ties together many of the other considerations previously discussed. If you are unable to drive, you will need to rely on family and friends for rides to work, the grocery store, and any other errands you need to run; if you lose your job, your family loses your income and financial security; if you end up in jail your family loses your daily presence and your income if you are fired. There are even situations where your family members will have to drive with “Whiskey Plates” solely because of your DWI.
This factor highlights the importance of defeating a DWI. When the effects of your DWI will negatively affect your family it is that much more important to give us the opportunity to put all our energy and resources into defending your case. As mentioned earlier, a victory on the merits is the best result and sometimes presenting a strong defense will encourage the State to make a “sweetheart deal.”
In sum, everyone charged with a DWI will evaluate these factors differently. Some face a significant chance of jail, others will face a chance of losing their job. Frankly, the best way to decide is to contact us for a free consult. It’s the whole reason we offer free consultations – to explain the situation you’re facing, your options, and let you know what we can do to help.