Texas DWI Resources & Help

Best Houston Attorneys For DWI, Drunk Driving, & DUI Cases

Texas DWI Defense - Man in Jail

When you set out to hire a Houston DWI attorney you’re better off if they’re a former prosecutor, has handled thousands of DWI cases, and knows how to overcome allegations of drunk driving in the court of law.

Your defense is important.

If charged with a DWI related criminal offense then you may, in all likelihood, lose your right to legally operate a motor vehicle in the state of Texas due to a process called Administrative License Revocation.

Loss of Texas Drivers License

Administrative license revocation is a process by which the state of Texas automatically suspends your driver’s license for up to 180 days based on criminal charges alone, regardless of whether there has been a guilty finding in the court of law, or not.

Most respectable Houston DWI Lawyers offer a free consultation to persons seeking legal advice and/or legal representation in response to being charged with DWI.

DWI Charges Are Serious in Texas

Texas DWI Defense - Man in JailA DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) related criminal charge is taken seriously by the state of Texas.

Any experienced Houston DWI defense focused attorney knows how serious it is to properly prepare to defend a person accused of such a crime. Deliberate preparation is important for the outcome of the case, the freedom of defendant. Most competent law firms understand this.

If you’re convicted of a DWI offense you may lose your job, experience problems with your family, be forced to serve jail time, and face the residual detrimental effects of the offense due to a criminal record showing on your background.

A Skilled Houston DWI Lawyer

Fortunately, Houston DWI Lawyer Tad A. Nelson is a well-known and highly respected lawyer when it comes to defending people accused of DWI in Houston. He’s a former prosecutor and is well aware of the steps prosecutors take when preparing their cases against defendants, and will use his experience to your benefit if you are his client.

When you’re arrested for DWI you’re only experiencing the first step in the process. While you may not be forced to serve jail time, you will be initially jailed until you make bond or are released on bond.

Once you post bond, you have a better opportunity to gain a better perspective on the gravity of the situation. You may be facing jail time, financial penalties, loss of driving privileges, and other restrictions.

Avoiding Jail Time & Loss of Drivers License

There are a number of ways to prevent the loss of your Texas Drivers License and confinement. By quickly contacting Houston DWI lawyer Tad A. Nelson you’ll give us a better opportunity to give you a better understanding of any potential fines or jail time you may be facing based on the details of your case. You’ll also get an opportunity to learn about options we may employ in an effort to defend you from what will be an aggressive prosecution by Harris County.

One Dallas Criminal Lawyer believes that a criminal conviction can change your life in an instant.

DWI Defense Practice Areas

Accused of a DWI offense in southeast Texas? Contact Attorney Tad A. Nelson immediately so we can prevent the administrative suspension of your Texas Drivers’ License by calling our law firm at 713-489-7373.

Houston Attorney For DWI & DUI Cases

Things to Know About DWI Felony Cases in Texas

Before you pick up your next drink at your neighborhood bar, there are some things that you need to be aware of, especially if you are living in Houston Texas. Even though driving under the influence isn’t considered ti be a small violation in any state, Texas is especially strict on those who decide to drink and drive. In fact, getting under the wheel while under the influence of any substance that affects the physical and mental capabilities of a driver isn’t tolerated under the law in places all over the globe. According to the laws of Texas, however, you will find that there are specific requirements that the officers are sworn to adhere to if the driver takes a breathalyzer test and fails due to the concentration (i.e. 08 or higher – alcohol test). Or, the driver decides to refuse a breathalyzer and takes his or her chances in court. Either way, you should be aware of what the consequences will be if you want to stay out of jail.

It is also important to note that these laws cover felony DWI charges and how they relate to each violation that an individual is subject to. Here are 4 felonies that can get you quite a bit of time behind bars.

Intoxication Assault and Felony Houston DWI Charges

An intoxication charge that leads to a conviction of a second degree or a third-degree felony is called an intoxication assault. With this type of felony charge, you can expect the person to have caused a serious injury to another individual. In certain cases, you can expect this person to have a problem that can be deemed as a person who has a habitual DWI problem.

Manslaughter and Felony Houston DWI Charges

When a person gets a lifetime sentences for driving under the influence, you may find that the reason for such a long life sentence is due to a case that involves manslaughter. For instance, if the person was driving with a passenger in the car and the individual was killed during the accident, the law usually entails charging this kind of DWI with a manslaughter felony charge. In this cases, people need a very good Texas defense attorney that can defend them to see if they can avoid a life sentence in jail.

DWI and Child Passenger – Felony Charges

Getting behind the wheel with a child in the car after drinking a glass or two of alcohol is not a good idea at all. Aside from putting any passenger in harm’s way, this type of action will quickly lead to a felony charge. Therefore, for anyone who does not want to spend time behind bars after coming from a local liquor store, it is extremely important to remember that no child under the age of 16 be near the vehicle when a police officer pulls a car over.

Though there are many different ways to punish a driver for driving under the influence, some punishments are deemed as much more severe than others. Specifically, when the driver has a child passenger in the vehicle, someone is killed or severely injured by these actions.

Texas Adult Drivers Education: Drinking & Driving in Texas

The Texas Adult Drivers Education program has created a wonderful video that’s intended to drive home the message of the dangers of drunk driving. Drug use and alcohol use can result in drunk or impaired driving which can result in serious criminal charges for individuals arrested by Texas law enforcement officers for DWI.

DWI & BAC Measurements

Drinking and driving is the number one killer in Texas! We lose about 1,000 people a year when someone makes a selfish decision to get in the car and put themselves and others lives in danger!

Driving While Intoxicated in Texas

Notable Facts from the Video

  • Driving While Intoxicated is the 2nd most serious offense you can commit while driving a vehicle.
  • The most serious offense is killing someone as a result of a car accident derived from driving while impaired.
  • Roughly 1,000 people are killed every year in Texas, due to drunk driving.
  • DWI-accidents are the #1 cause of traffic fatalities involving people under the age of 29.

Fighting Open Container Cases in Texas Courts

Open Container Violation

According to experienced DWI lawyers, open container violations will result in small to moderate fines. However, there are times in which it may lead to much steeper consequences. So it’s important that you know how to avoid this offense. Here are a few things that can make you vulnerable to an open container violation.

Drinking Alcohol in Public Places

You’re very likely to receive an open container violation if you fail to keep your bottles and cans sealed. This is an easy mistake to make if you’re taking the bottle from a friend’s home after a social gathering. Bottles that are not sealed or in a bag may be viewed negatively by the police.

Related: 15 Unusual Facts About Texas Alcohol Laws

Ignoring Established Boundaries

If you fail to pay attention to established boundaries, then you may receive a violation. In certain instances, there are specific areas in which people are permitted to drink. In fact, there are often signs posted that specify where you’re allowed to carry open containers of alcohol in public places. For example, while you may not be allowed to drink on public sidewalks, you may be permitted to drink on a specific area of the sidewalk if you’re a patron of a bar or sidewalk café.

Drinking and Driving

It’s important to keep in mind that drinking and driving makes you more vulnerable to receiving an open container violation in Harris County. This is because your container will be open while you drive. Even if the passenger has a bottle of beer, if it’s in a place where you could easily reach it, you could be charged.

Storing Empty Cans or Bottles

There are a lot of drivers who are in the habit of not regularly cleaning or organizing their vehicle. Unfortunately, this can make a huge impact on your life if you are ever pulled over. You can possibly be cited for all of your empty cans and bottles. Even if the alcohol was consumed by someone else, a very long time ago you may still be held responsible for it. In fact, even if the container has only a small amount of alcohol, it will be viewed as an open container. This is why it’s often recommended that drivers rinse out their empty bottles and cans if they are carrying them in their vehicles.

Engaging in Disruptive or Dangerous or Behavior

Another way in which you may make yourself vulnerable to an open container violation is by acting disorderly. This can draw attention to your open container. This is especially the case if you are in an area that has laws against public consumption. The officers’ main concern is to ensure the safety of the public.

Conclusion

Whether you’re intoxicated or not, drinking alcohol while driving is extremely dangerous. And this is why Texas takes its laws on DWI so seriously. An open container violation can sometimes lead to serious consequences. As you can see, there are various ways in which you can make yourself vulnerable to an open container violation. This is why it’s very important to pay attention to the local laws.

When Enjoying Life Leads to Jail

On numerous occasions people will end their work week, get home, get dressed, then go out and enjoy the weekend on Fridays & Saturdays. Oftentimes, enjoyment of the weekend involves partying, drinking alcohol, smoking, and generally relaxing among friends and acquaintances.

While this is fine and dandy, when considering the intoxicants involved with the weekend enjoyments of some people, it’s understandable how outcomes can vary drastically depending on the people and the circumstances. Weekends like these have led to many good people being stopped by police only to be suspected of drunk driving, and subsequently arrested, car towed, and thrown in the Harris County Jail.

This is a very common scenario in Houston, TX, and we can tell you first hand that thousands of people have dealt with such a fate. If you’re arrested for a DWI offense in Houston, you have options, but dealing with the situation is never easy nor convenient. As an adult, we all have a duty to conduct ourselves in a manner that doesn’t conflict with the law.

Taking Into Account One’s Actions

Whether you’re a doctor, lawyer, politician, street-thug, or preacher, if you’re thought to be driving while intoxicated in Houston you’ll be arrested and jailed. It’s important to realize that the offense may not seem like a big deal to you, but there’s a real risk to public safety when drunk drivers are on the road. Thousands of Texans die annually due to auto accidents and a large percentage of those are caused by drunk drivers.

About every 20 minutes in Texas, someone is hurt or killed in a vehicular crash involving alcohol.

While many DUIs involve college students, the recent case of a Zapata County priest charged with driving while intoxicated after a single-car accident, shows this problem impacts people of all ages and walks of life.

In Montgomery County alone, the sheriff’s office arrested 62 individuals as part of “Operation Blackout,” an anti-DUI effort conducted during the 2017 Memorial Holiday weekend. Some of them were charged with driving while intoxicated with a child, one was a boating incident and several were third offenses.

SOURCE: The Right Step

Busted by the Police for Drunk Driving?

If you’re ready this article, and you’re out on bond after being arrested for a drunk driving offense, you’ll need legal representation. If you were arrested in Houston, we recommend Houston DWI Lawyer Tad A. Nelson for your case, as he’s one of the most competent defense lawyers in Houston.

Drunk driving cases tend to be tricky for inexperienced lawyers due to the scientific nature of the offense. If your attorney can prove that you were not intoxicated or can call into question the judgement of the officers or the validity of the Blood Alcohol Test, you’ll likely be able to beat a Texas DWI charge.

Your Response to an Arrest

Refuse to blow, and don’t voluntarily provide the police with any evidence they can use against you. Force them get a warrant, but remember to be polite and orderly. Once you post bond, contact a qualified defense attorney as soon as possible.