DWI stands for Driving While Intoxicated or Driving While Impaired.  A DWI is a serious driving offense.  Make no mistake, a DWI misdemeanor can become a DWI felony depending on the circumstances and the state where your DWI arrest took place.  There are many factors that will be taken into consideration before you are charged with a DWI Felony, including the level of intoxication, number of previous offenses, the time between offenses, and whether anyone was injured while you were DWI.  The charges can even differ between states, as each state has their own laws on dealing with DWI felonies.  A Driving While Intoxicated felony is a serious offense and carries much heavier penalties than a DWI misdemeanor.

WILL I SERVE TIME IN JAIL FOR A DWI FELONY?

If you are charged with this type of Felony, you will most likely be facing some jail time, or even prison time.  A DWI Felony carries a more severe penalty then if you were charged with a DWI misdemeanor.  The exact amount of jail time or prison time you could be facing is not only determined by number of offenses, level of intoxication, and whether there were any injuries but also the state, county, and jurisdiction where the DWI felony took place.  The judge assigned to your DWI Felony case will be the one to set the penalties or determine the amount of jail time or prison time you may face.

WHAT OTHER PENALTIES COULD I FACE FOR A DWI FELONY?

The penalties for a DWI felony differ from state to state but all carry an array of penalties including fines, jail/prison time, suspension of your driver’s license, attendance in DWI classes, and a felony on your criminal record.  A DWI felony will have to be reported to future employers and insurance companies when asked if convicted of a felony.  An experienced DWI attorney will help you understand the penalties and fight the charges.

DO I NEED AN ATTORNEY FOR A DWI FELONY?

Absolutely!  A DWI felony is a serious offense and an attorney will help you navigate through the legal system.  A DWI attorney will be able to help you defend the charges you are facing and deal with the administration side of the DWI felony penalties.  This is no time to face the criminal system alone.  Hire a DWI attorney to protect your rights.