A Plea Bargain is Not the Easy Way Out of a DWI
Myth Number One: Pleading on a First Offense is Easier Than Fighting
If you plead guilty, you're convicted. If you're convicted of DWI in Texas, you will be without a drivers' license for a lengthy period. The inconvenience alone has been enough to convince a lot of men and women I know that it's worth it to fight the charge.
If you plead guilty, you will have a conviction on your record forever. A conviction cannot be expunged or non-disclosed. When you are facing a serious DWI or other criminal charge, you need a drunk driving and criminal defense attorney with serious experience and a serious reputation. Contact me today for honest answers in a free consultation.
Myth Number Two: Taking a Plea Deal is the Cheapest Option
In fact, it's often more expensive than fighting a DWI charge with the help of an experienced attorney who is sensitive to your financial concerns. You probably expect to pay a fine if you plead guilty. You probably don't expect to have to pay all the hidden costs associated with a guilty plea or conviction on a Texas drunk driving charge, such as:
- Court costs
- Probation costs
- Mandatory donation to Crime Stoppers
- Community service fees
- Installation and monthly monitoring fee for a deep lung breath analyzer (vehicle ignition interlock)
- Fees and monitoring for a SCRAM ankle device if you are placed on community supervision
- DPS surcharge of $1000 to $2000 per year for the next three years just to keep your license
- License reinstatement fee
- Cost of occupational driver's license
And if those costs weren't enough, don't forget that your insurance rates will almost certainly go up between 10 to 15 percent. If you don't have a lawyer, even a first offense DWI guilty plea can cost you over $4,500. In fact, I've had many clients who decided to fight a drunk driving charge just to save money.
Myth Number Three: If You Don’t Take a Plea, You'll Get a Tougher Sentence
Look, the police and prosecutors are not your friends. They are not trying to help you out. They just want the maximum sentence they can get with a minimum of work. I say, not on my watch.
I have a reputation for being able to deal rationally and reasonably with the other side. At the same time, judges and prosecutors throughout East Texas know that I am completely unafraid to take a case to trial and beyond if it's in my client's best interests. That is what I call negotiating from a position of strength.
The other side know that when I take a case, they had better bring their A game. That means lots of man hours and lots of expense. Sometimes, a smart prosecutor will decide it's simply better not to take a weak case to trial rather than risk all that work for nothing.
Contact Me Today
Depending on the nature of the case against you — a felony DWI charge, for example — any good attorney knows that you start with negotiation. It's important to find out what the prosecution has and how they intend to pursue the case.
I can start work immediately to build a strong legal challenge against a misdemeanor or felony criminal or DWI charge. Call my office in Tyler today at 903.596.9696 to schedule a free and completely confidential consultation.
