Posts tagged Second Time

Hiring a Houston Texas DUI Lawyer

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

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.