Posts tagged Dui Conviction
Lower Car Insurance Rates After DUI
Aug 1st
Reader’s Question:
My DUI conviction here in Houston two years ago had a negative effect on my car insurance. How long will it stay high and what can I do to have lower car insurance?
Gary
Houston, TX
The amount of time that your DUI can affect your car insurance rates in Houston depends on the guiding principles of your car insurance provider and the regulations of the state you live in. Different states have different laws regarding how long a DUI or DWI stays on your driving record. It could stay on your motor vehicle record (MVR) for as short as a few years to as long as 10 years depending on the state and the conditions concerning your DUI conviction. As long as your alcohol-related offense stays on your MVR, it is most probably to have an effect on your car insurance premiums.
Every car insurance carrier has their own means of assessing and rating drivers. To determine the amount of time your DUI will remain on your MVR, you can get in touch with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and to determine how long your present car insurance carrier would continue to give higher premium, get in touch with your car insurance agent.
To lower the payment for your car insurance, you have to shop around the car insurance market. You will discover that even if you have a serious DUI offense two years ago, there are other car insurance companies that can offer you reasonable fees for your coverage. You can do this by simply going online and visiting car insurance comparison quotes Websites. You can collect different car insurance quotes from them and choose the best one that has lower rates than what you pay right now.
What Are The Penalties For DUI in Houston?
Apr 15th
Reader’s Question:
What kind of punishments does the state of Texas impose on someone who got arrested for drunk driving? I want to help my brother out because he got charged a DUI and it’s his first time! Thanks!
Lenard
Houston, TX
Drivers in Houston would be well advised to be knowledgeable about the laws and punishments for a DUI or Driving Under the Influence offense in Texas. Anyone convicted of such an offense can expect heavy penalties including costly fines, license suspension, and can even be sentenced to prison. If you have been convicted of a DUI, a DUI auto insurance policy is quite necessary before you are allowed to drive again.
Here are some important details about DUI penalties in Texas: First offense gets $2,000 in fines, 72 hours to 180 days in prison, 90 days to one year license revocation and the need to install Interlock Ignition Devices on all vehicles owned at the offender’s expense. Second offense: $4,000 fine, 6 months to 1 year license revocation, and 30 days up to 1 year in prison. Third offense: $10,000 fine, 2 – 10 years imprisonment and 2 years license revocation.
Your auto insurance coverage can become very expensive after a DUI conviction. This is due to the high-risk associated with DUI offenders. But that doesn’t mean that affordable DUI auto insurance cannot be found, one would just have to know how and where to look for one.
Save yourself the time and trouble, and shop for the best-priced DUI auto insurance coverage available through the Internet. There are many dedicated online DUI and auto insurance specialists catering to the Houston market these days. Run free auto insurance quote checks and compare offers to quickly find the auto insurance policy that best fits your needs.
Getting the right kind of DUI auto insurance policy can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a year. It only takes a few minutes of your time, and just a bit of effort, to accomplish this but the pay-off is definitely worth it.
How Past DUI Records Affect Car Insurance Coverage Houston
Sep 27th
Reader’s Question:
I just moved here in Houston, Texas a few months back and I remembered being apprehended for DWI two years back when I was in Austin and now, I would be getting a new car insurance. Would my previous DUI record affect the cost of car insurance that I plan to get?
Mary
Houston, TX
Probably one major thing to ask is that, were you convicted or acquitted for DUI? This needs to be confirmed because if you have been convicted, this record will remain under your name for a long period of time even if you move to a different city. Houston, Texas has stricter DUI laws and this would definitely affect the kind of premiums you can get from insurance companies depending on the gravity of the offense you have committed.
Many people may have access to your DUI records, even for a long period of time after your conviction. Insurance companies may try to avoid people with prior DUI records.
Even employment opportunities may also suffer because of this. DUI help in the form a legal professional is really important in dealing with such case. Lawyers or attorneys may be able to help you after a DUI conviction. Especially that there are stricter DWI laws here in Houston, Texas, DUI attorneys can help you expunge your DUI records. With conviction of DUI on your record, or even if you do not declare it on agreements and application forms, insurance companies still have access to such information and thus will give you higher premium options or refuse application as a worst case scenario. I was able to find an interesting deal in terms of auto insurance for people who are previously apprehended for DUI like me on this website.
Can I Find Employment after Houston DUI Arrest?
Aug 13th
Reader’s Question:
I’m very much concerned about my job after being arrested for drunk driving in Houston, Texas and I fear that I might just be terminated or something. Shall I take the risk and tell my employer that I was recently charged with DUI?
Buck
Houston, TX
Many employers would not hire someone who has a drunk driving conviction in their driver’s history. Most companies go back a certain number of years to check a potential employee’s background. Since you are currently employed, I hate to tell you that a DUI conviction could end your employment. If your drunk driving arrest in Houston, Texas would be reported to your employer, you may either be suspended or terminated. I suggest that you check your employee handbook to see what it says about being arrested for any criminal charge. Some companies even periodically check’s a driver’s history of their employees.
The question of reporting an arrest for DUI is a very important issue that you need to address to your DUI attorney immediately. Do not disclose your DUI arrest with your employer until you have spoken to your DUI attorney. Your DUI attorney would give you the best advice possible on what you should do after your DUI arrest. You have to be knowledgeable on your rights and obligations before risking immediate termination because of your DUI arrest.
Do I Really Need To Hire a Houston DUI Lawyer To Defend Me?
Jul 30th
Reader’s Question:
My brother is insistent that he won’t hire a DUI lawyer to help him defend on his DUI case in Houston Texas. I need help in explaining to him the importance of having a DUI lawyer. How can a DUI lawyer help him on his case?
Ruth
Houston, TX
A DUI charge can be very traumatic, especially if you are not familiar with the legal process in Houston, Texas. A DUI conviction is even worse because it could remain on your criminal record for your entire life. Since your brother has a DUI charge, he has to contact a DUI lawyer immediately. A DUI lawyer would advise him throughout the DUI process and serve as his advocate in court and at his case hearing against the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). He can be assured that every effort will be placed into successfully defending his DUI charges.
Your brother just has to make sure that the lawyer he will be hiring is an experienced lawyer in the DUI field. This kind of lawyer focuses primarily on DUI law and has years of practice experience and a winning reputation. The DUI process is very complex and confusing that is why your brother will need to retain the services of an aggressive DUI lawyer. A DUI lawyer could help him get the legal process with ease and provide him with up-to-date DUI resources and knowledgeable counsel.
Beating a Houston DUI Case
Jul 24th
Reader’s Question:
My father has been charged with DUI in Houston, Texas. This is his first DUI offense and obviously, we want to help him win his DUI case. Is there a way to beat a DUI charge?
Olson
Houston, TX
There are many ways to beat or win over a DUI conviction, even if your father had blood alcohol content (BAC) over the legal limit. An experienced DUI lawyer in Houston, Texas will look at multiple methods to attack the charge. First, the DUI lawyer should look at the stop itself or when your father was asked by police officer to pull over. An officer must have at least reasonable suspicion to make a stop on the highway. A good DUI lawyer would look at all the circumstances surrounding the stop of the vehicle, and make sure all State and Constitutional Laws regarding search and seizure have been followed.
If your father performed a standardized field sobriety test (FST), that test should be scrutinized for mistakes by the officer, and if he has taken a Breathalyzer, then that machine and its operation must be analyzed completely. From lack of probable cause to make an arrest, or reasonable suspicion to make a stop, the police officer not conforming with all the rules regarding breath tests or performing FST’s inaccurately, there are many ways to beat a DUI charge.
Houston Texas DUI SR22 Car Insurance
Jul 23rd
Reader’s Question:
My cousin told me that he needs to file SR22 car insurance because of his recent DUI conviction in Houston, Texas. He asked me to help him find out how long is it required. What is SR22 car insurance, how can he obtain one and how long does he have to carry it?
Earl
Houston, TX
SR22 car insurance is a certificate of insurance that shows the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) proof of insurance for the future, as required by law. In your cousin’s case, he is required to have it because of his DUI conviction in Houston, Texas. SR22 is a motor vehicle liability insurance which requires the insurance company to certify coverage to DPS, and the insurance company must notify DPS anytime the policy is cancelled, terminated or lapses. He can obtain SR22 by contacting an insurance agent/company who is authorized to write liability insurance for the State of Texas. Or better yet, just simply get an online rate quote for great SR22 car insurance in Houston from this site.
In Texas, SR22 is required for two years from the date of the DUI conviction or the date the judgment was rendered. If the SR22 is cancelled, terminated, or lapses, the insurance company will notify the Texas DPS. If it is still required for the driver to carry SR22 and it was not on file, the driving privilege and vehicle registration is suspended.
Hiring a Houston Texas DUI Lawyer
Jul 19th
Reader’s Question:
My sister has been charged with DUI here in Houston, Texas. We have not decided whether or not we will hire a lawyer because my sister said that she can get out of this on her own. How important is having a lawyer in cases such as this?
Lindsay
Houston, TX
Often times, the importance of retaining a good DUI defense lawyer if arrested for driving under the influence is being overlooked. Since she was charged with DUI in Houston, Texas, the magnitude of having a good DUI lawyer on your sister’s side equals that of having the best doctor trying to save her life. Of course, a DUI conviction is not a matter of life or death in its literal sense, but a DUI conviction or guilty plea would definitely affect her life.
If your sister will be convicted for DUI, the most obvious effect on her life by is the punishment. Depending on whether she is guilty of a misdemeanor offense or a felony DUI offense, she would pay a fine, potentially lose her license to drive, possibly serve some sort of community service, and maybe serve some time in prison. Not to mention the fact that in Texas, the punishment escalates if the person is convicted of a DUI-related offense for the second time within a certain time frame.
These are just some of the possible consequences that your sister might be facing if she will be convicted for DUI. So, she has to think hard about the importance of having a DUI lawyer on her side.
Hiring a Houston DUI Attorney
Feb 1st
As mentioned before, there are times when you always need an attorney, while in other times it’s just very likely that you need an attorney. In this cases, there is still sometimes the remote possibility that you will be able to come decently out of your case without a Houston DUI attorney, but it will be an extremely hard fight which you will probably lose, and it would be better to be safe and hire a lawyer. Below I have listed a few of the reasons you may find yourself in this situation, so that you can consult a lawyer and decide which way to go.
You are probably going to need to hire a Houston DUI attorney if…
- you already have a previous DUI conviction on your record and are up for your second time. With a second ticket, you will see longer jail sentences, more fines, and less leeway and willingness to forgive, so you will have to fight hard for reductions.
- you were driving under extreme intoxication. Drunk isn’t drunk when it comes to DUIs, and you can get in trouble for being more drunk than the next guy. Having an intoxication level twice the limit can garner more penalties.
- you were driving with a child in the car with you. If you had someone under the age of 18 with you, you will also face more penalties.
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