St. Paul Criminal Defense

St. Paul and Minneapolis Attorney

St. Paul

DWI and Criminal Defense Attorney Serving St. Paul Clients

If the police pulled you over and subsequently charged you with DWI/DUI, you need an experienced St. Paul DWI attorney on your side, especially if this is your first violation. Many people in your situation think that just because this is your first offense, the consequences will not be very severe. Additionally, less experienced attorneys may encourage you to plead guilty to charges that may affect you in ways you haven’t thought about. A DWI can result in serious criminal penalties, fines and fees, driver’s license revocation, and increased insurance rates. It can affect your employment situation and your relationships.

Don’t take a chance on your future. Work with me to avoid the pitfalls of DWI that can make your future extremely difficult.

A DWI Charge Is Serious, Especially if This Isn’t Your First One

With one DWI on your record, you become more visible to police officers on the lookout for you. You may notice them following you for a few miles, seeking confirmation that you are not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Additionally, should you face a second or third DWI charge, the penalties and sentences increase significantly. Often times the State is seeking substantial jail consequences as punishment with up to 6 years of probation. The State may try to keep your vehicle. You can challenge vehicle forfeiture, but you must act quickly as you will lose the right to challenge if you don’t act within certain time parameters. If you are facing a second, third, or fourth DWI charge, your future depends on the skill of the attorney you choose to represent you.

I’ll work to minimize the impact of a DWI on your driving and criminal records.

A Charge Is Not a Conviction

A DWI charge does not equate to guilt. The prosecutor must prove the charge against you in court to get a conviction. As a seasoned and experienced attorney, I understand that there is more than one way to defend you and fight the charges against you.

Keep Your Driver’s License

Even though you are only facing a DWI, and have not yet been convicted, the State will take your driver’s license away after you are arrested. You do have the right to challenge this but you must do so within a short period of time after being arrested. The sooner you contact me, the sooner I can begin to fight for you.

Challenge the Case

I will review all the facts of your case to evaluate whether the police officers followed the law and procedure at the time of arrest and after. The State and police need a “reasonable and articulable suspicion” of criminal activity to pull you over. The police must also have a sufficient basis to expand the scope of the stop in order to begin a DWI investigation. If the police did not have “probable cause” to arrest you, the judge may dismiss the charges against you. The alleged driving conduct as well as the observations of the officer during the stop and field sobriety tests are all used to determine whether or not “probable cause” exists. If your case deserves a trial, I will take your case to trial and make the State prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty of the alleged charges.

If I cannot eliminate the DWI charges against you, I may be able to reduce the charges to careless driving, minor traffic violations, or disorderly conduct charges. Almost everyone who has a DWI charge and conviction suffers negatively for it. But a speeding ticket or misdemeanor-level offense won’t affect your employment or professional status nearly as much.

Call an Experienced St. Paul Attorney to Fight Your DWI Charges

Do not sit idly by while the State firms up its evidence against you. As an experienced St. Paul DWI attorney, I am here to help prepare you to fight the charges against you, get back your driving privileges, and more. Contact me at 952-945-7824 to discuss more during a free, confidential consultation.