DWI Defense Attorneys in Jacksonville NC
Our clients commonly want to know what kind of impact a traffic citation will have on their automobile insurance premiums. You may also want to know whether or not your license will be revoked.
Many of these citations can be paid by mail or online, while other citations require an appearance in court. Whether you personally appear in court or pay it off through the mail or online, you are pleading guilty to the offense as charged, and you will most likely suffer increased insurance premiums and in some cases a revocation of your driving privileges. At The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A., our DWI defense attorneys have the experience to properly help you avoid these negative consequences.
We offer consultations at no charge for all traffic cases. Please contact us so that we may discuss how to properly resolve your traffic matters without increasing your insurance premiums or temporarily losing your license. With most North Carolina traffic citations, you will not need to appear in court once you’ve retained an attorney.
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What Is Impaired Driving In North Carolina?
The legal limit for someone to be charged with impaired driving in North Carolina is .08 percent blood alcohol content (BAC). However, merely because somebody is at or above the .08 percent limit does not always mean they will be convicted of DWI. There are many potential defenses that our experienced DWI lawyers can use to aggressively fight this offense.
The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A., can help you mitigate the damage of a conviction for DWI. We can minimize your court costs and fines and can guide you through the process to avoid any potential time spent behind bars. Additionally, we can appear in front of the North Carolina DMV to fight for you to keep your license or assist you in preparing for a limited driving privilege so that you can maintain your career and provide for your family. After a DWI charge, many of your rights can be waived within days if you do not assert them in a timely manner.
What Are The Five Levels of DWI in North Carolina?
In the state of North Carolina, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle if noticeably impaired or with a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.08 or higher. If you are driving a commercial vehicle, that limit is 0.04. If you are a repeat offender with concern to Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), the penalties increase.
DWI offenders fall into one of five levels of misdemeanor DWI. Level I is the most serious and Level V is the least. As the penalties increase the likelihood of you spending time in jail increases.
Level V:
Punishable by a fine up to $200 and a minimum jail sentence of 24 hours and a maximum of 60 days. A judge may suspend the sentence but under the conditions that the driver spends 24 hours in jail, performs 24 hours of community service or cannot operate a vehicle for 30 days.
Level IV:
Punishable by a fine up to $500 and a minimum jail sentence of 48 hours and a maximum of 120 days. A judge may suspend the sentence but under the conditions that the driver spends 48 hours in jail, performs 48 hours of community service or cannot operate a vehicle for 60 days. As you can see, this is an increase from Level V.
Level III:
Punishable by a fine up to $1,000 and a minimum jail sentence of 72 hours and a maximum of six months. A judge may suspend the sentence but under the conditions that the driver spends at least 72 hours in jail, performs 72 hours of community service or cannot operate a vehicle for 90 days. As you can see, this is an increase from Level IV.
Level II:
Punishable by a fine up to $2,000 and a minimum jail sentence of seven days and a maximum of one year. A judge CANNOT suspend the minimum sentence.
Level I:
Punishable by a fine up to $4,000 and a minimum jail sentence of 30 days and a maximum of two years. A judge CANNOT suspend the minimum sentence.
If you are a Level I and II driver, you are considered a repeat offender, a person whose license has been revoked, impaired drivers, impaired drivers who are transporting young children and impaired drivers who hurt someone in a crash.
How Do We Defend Against DWI Charges?
North Carolina is a very harsh state when it comes to prosecuting, convicting and punishing a person who was charged with impaired driving. In North Carolina, impaired driving charges are very rarely reduced to a lesser offense. This means that they are either plead or tried.
The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A., has over 50 years of experience representing individuals charged with impaired driving, whether it be for alcohol, narcotics or prescription medication.
We have experience representing people in many DWI-related circumstances, including:
We can advise you regarding the different levels of punishment for a DWI conviction, as well as the complicated process of acquiring a limited driving privilege.
Contact Our Attorneys If You Have Been Charged With Drunk Driving
At The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A., we will work to protect your rights by building a strong defense against DWI charges. Call our Jacksonville, North Carolina offices at 910-378-0556 or contact us online to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.
