If you have been arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI), Mr. Hunt is certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the administration of the Standardized Field Sobriety Test. He is also a member of the National College for DUI Defense and a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. With Mr. Hunt’s extensive training in the area of DWI and DUI defense, he can provide you with the help you need with your case. Certain time delays apply to driving privileges if you have been arrested for a DWI or DUI. It is imperative that you contact the Hunt Law Firm immediately to protect your rights. Call us today!
Individuals arrested for DWI should carefully read the paperwork provided to them by the officer(s) at the time of arrest. Louisiana’s implied consent law allows motorists to request an administrative law hearing to challenge any driver’s license suspension associated with a DWI arrest. THIS MUST BE DONE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE ARREST. Failure to do so will result in a driver’s license suspension on the 31st day following the arrest. Suspension periods vary depending upon complying or failing to comply with the implied consent law, as well as previous arrests and/or conviction for impaired driving.
In the State of Louisiana, you are legally presumed to be intoxicated if your blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 or more by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood or if you are operating a vehicle or watercraft under the influence of any controlled dangerous substances. However, a DWI conviction may result from a blood alcohol concentration under 0.08 if there is a blood alcohol reading between 0.051 up and 0.079, and the Court determines the driver to be impaired. In Louisiana, a conviction can be either a misdemeanor or felony depending on the number of previous DWI convictions within ten years from the date of your arrest. The following are potential jail sentences that may result from a DWI conviction:
- 1st Offense—A conviction may result in jail time not less than ten days and not more than six months.
- 2nd Offense—A conviction may result in jail time not less than thirty days and not more than six months.
- 3rd Offense—A conviction within ten years now requires the defendant serve a mandatory year in jail and could result in a sentence up to five years.
- 4th Offense– A conviction within ten years now requires the defendant serve a mandatory two years in jail and could result in a sentence up to thirty years.
The State of Texas has abolished the ten-year “look back” period altogether, which significantly raises the stakes of misdemeanor DWI charges. Texas residents arrested in Louisiana for DWI should thoroughly educate themselves of recent changes made by the Texas legislature pertaining to DWI charges. Many Texas residents visiting Lake Charles have discovered that gambling, drinking and driving is a losing bet.
To expedite your case, please fill out the DWI and DUI Case Intake Form and submit these results. We will contact you shortly thereafter.