Anyone charged with a first offense in New Jersey for driving while intoxicated (DWI) needs an attorney who knows how to fight for you and defend your rights. The penalties for a first DWI conviction in New Jersey will seriously impact your driving privileges, and your license can be suspended for up to twelve months. There are also heavy surcharges and insurance points that can hit your wallet hard if you do not have the right NJ DWI attorney. As Your DWI Attorney, I am a board-certified criminal trial attorney. I will personally handle your case from start to finish and ensure you receive aggressive and knowledgeable representation tailored to the facts and circumstances of your NJ DWI case.
The penalties for a first DWI offense may depend on your blood alcohol reading (BAC) when you provided breath samples to the Alcotest. The legal limit in NJ is 0.08%. However, in New Jersey, if you are under the legal limit, you can still receive a DWI summons if you fail your road-side field sobriety tests administered by the officer. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that you obtain a NJ DWI attorney experienced in handling these matters.
- If your BAC is between .08% and .10% – you will be required to have an interlock device for three months. Your driver’s license will only be suspended until the interlock device is installed. You will be fined $250 – $500 and can face up to 30 days in jail.
- If your BAC is between .10% and .15% – you will be required to install an interlock device for 7 – 12 months. Your driver’s license will only be suspended until the interlock device is installed. You will be fined $300 – $500 and can face up to 30 days in jail.
- If you BAC is higher than .15% – you will be required to install an interlock device for 9 – 15 months, and your driver’s license will be suspended. The license suspension starts on the date you are convicted and runs from 4 – 6 months after the interlock device is installed.
If you don’t install the court ordered interlock device on your car, you may face an additional one-year driver’s license suspension. NJ DWI Interlock FAQs can be found here: https://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/violations/interlock-faq.pdf
The penalties for a NJ DWI offense are significant and are considered “consequences of magnitude” since you face the loss of your NJ driver’s license, heavy fines, and even jail. My goal is to defend you every step of the way. As a board-certified trial attorney, I handle NJ DWI cases on a regular basis. Please contact me now by email, by phoning 908.264.7701, or by completing the form to the right to schedule your complimentary 30-minute strategy session.