WHAT TO DO
If you’re facing DWI charges in New Jersey, it’s crucial to seek legal representation as soon as possible. Contact me, Michael Justice, at The Justice Law Firm, for a confidential consultation. I’ll provide you with the guidance and advocacy you need to protect your rights and your future.
Driving While
Intoxicated (DWI)
In New Jersey, being charged with DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) can have serious consequences that impact not only your driving privileges but also your personal and professional life. I am an experienced DWI defense attorney dedicated to protecting your rights and helping you navigate the complexities of New Jersey’s DWI laws. Driving While Intoxicated includes not only alcohol but intoxication by other substances such as marijuana. In non-alcohol related prosecutions a Drug Recognition Expert is often used to bolster the State’s case.
Penalties for a DWI
conviction in New Jersey
DWI penalties can vary depending on factors such as BAC level, prior convictions, and other circumstances. Some potential consequences include:
- License suspension: From 3 months to several years.
- Fines: Up to thousands of dollars.
- DMV surcharges: Up to $4,500
- Ignition interlock device: Mandatory for some convictions.
- Community service: Ordered by the court.
- Insurance premium increases: Your insurance rates may significantly rise.
- Jail: Up to six months
- Criminal record: A DWI conviction can impact your future employment and opportunities.
What do do when stopped for DWI in NJ
What are you obligated to do
- Provide your Driver’s License and other Credentials to the police upon request.
- Submit to chemical testing of samples of your breath.
It is vital that you are aware that you must submit to chemical testing of samples of your breath which will be accomplished using the Draeger Alcotest® 7110 MKIII-CA. You do not have the right to refuse to take the “breathalyzer” or to consult with an attorney beforehand in New Jersey. When you applied for your New Jersey Driver’s License you consented to taking the “breathalyzer”. If you give anything at all less than an emphatic “Yes” to the question, “Will you submit?” you will be charged with Refusal to Submit which is a separate offense from DWI but it carries more severe penalties for first offenders and identical penalties for subsequent offenders.
What you are not obligated to do
-
Field Sobriety Tests of any kind including:
- Reciting the alphabet or ABC’s
- The “Walk and Turn” test (9 steps along a straight line and back).
- The “One Leg Stand” test (holding one leg out at an angle and counting to 30).
- The Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test – where the officer looks at your eyes while moving his finger or a pen back and forth in front of them.
- any other test aside from the “breathalyzer”
- provide samples of your blood or urine.
- Provide any information to the police including: how much you had to drink, where you coming from or going to.
The only test that you are required under New Jersey Law to submit to during a DWI stop is the “breathalyzer”. The less you evidence and information you provide to the police the easier it will be to defend you in court. Give me a call if your in trouble.
Client Reviews
Posted by Larry | May 15, 2017
| Consulted Attorney
Alleged careless driving case — NJ
If you ever need an auto-mechanic who tells you that your car has lost a screw instead of asking you for thousands of dollars to replace the motor I don’t know whom to recommend; if you ever need an attorney to put your case in perspective and put your interest first, even before his, I recommend Michael Justice. During a brief consultation I was impressed with his legal and technical knowledge, and above all with his ethics.
Location
257 Spring Street, 3rd Flr.
Newton, NJ 07860
Office Hours
by appointment only
call or text 9-5 M-F