The Key to a Good DWI Defense

1. Request your ALR (Administrative License Revocation) hearing!

You only have 15 days to request your administrative hearing after you were arrested to request this invaluable hearing. If you do not your driver’s license will be automatically SUSPENDED!

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2. Write a statement.

The police wrote a report to convict you. So, you should write a report to help Mr. Whalen DEFEND you.

Your report should be a detailed statement about what happened. Begin with the night before your arrest and detail all events leading up to your arrest. List any witnesses that could help you. Include their contact information and, if possible, have them draft a brief statement of what they would say if called to testify.

3. Hire Mr. Whalen.

Contact attorney James P. Whalen today to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.

The Law Office of James P. Whalen in Plano, Texas, handles the following alcohol and intoxication-related cases:

• DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) (Misdemeanors and Felonies)
• BWI (Boating While Intoxicated)
• DUI (Driving Under the Influence – Under 21 Years of Age)
• Intoxication Assault
• Intoxication Manslaughter
• Public Intoxication
• Minor in Possession & Minor in Consumption
• Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor

Contact attorney James P. Whalen today to schedule a consultation to discuss your case. .

Why is Mr. Whalen so successful in defending DWIs?

His answer … “PREPARATION … it starts from the minute client hires me until the trial actually begins.”

In preparation for defending your DWI, Mr. Whalen will obtain copies of the police reports, inventory logs, driving records, and information from the jail booking. Of course this also includes getting a copy of your DWI tape.

James P. Whalen’s philosophy on DWIs:

If you plead, you lose! A plea means the State convicted you by your own admission. If this is your first DWI, you have little to lose by trying your case! I believe that many people plead their DWI because they are afraid of the unknown. I understand this and so we will discuss your fears and concerns at length so that you have a comfort level with whatever decision you make.

DWI BASICS

Criminal Penalty

• A DWI 1st is a class B misdemeanor and carries a range of punishment of up to 180 days in the county jail and/or a fine of up to $2,000.
• A DWI 2nd is a class A misdemeanor and carries a range of punishment of up to 365 days in the county jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000.
• A DWI 3rd is a third degree felony and carries the possibility of time in the penitentiary.
• Is probation a possibility or will I have to go to jail? – Usually, it is a possibility…but be warned. Probation (now called “community supervision”) can be time consuming and expensive.

Civil Penalty

• DWI Surcharges
• $1,000.00 per year – upon a DWI 1st conviction (total $3,000.00)
• $1,500.00 per year – if you are convicted of DWI and have a previous DWI conviction at any prior time (total $4500.00)
• $2,000.00 per year – if it is shown that the breath or blood specimen showed an alcohol concentration of 0.16 or more (total $6,000.00)

Contact attorney James P. Whalen today to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.