Driving while intoxicated: it carries a number of severe penalties. If you have been accused of DWI, you may wonder if you really need an attorney. Is it really worth the cost? How much will a DWI attorney actually cost, anyway? If you’re worrying about the potential cost of a DWI, including the cost of hiring an attorney, it’s important to consider all the key variables.
The Cost of DWI Conviction
If you are convicted of driving while intoxicated, you will face a number of costs–many of which will stick with you far after the trial is over. Consider these elements of DWI conviction:
Fines paid to the court. For a basic first-time driving while intoxicated fine, you can face a fine of up to $1,000. The full amount of the fine may depend on a variety of factors, including how far over the legal limit your blood alcohol content was, whether you had a child in your car, or if you refused the test. If you have already been convinced of one DWI, future fines and fees may rise even higher. When you work with an attorney, on the other hand, you may be able to decrease the amount of those fines or reach a plea bargain that is suitable to your finances.
Lost time at work. As you fight your DWI charge, you’ll need to spend time dealing with it–both time in the courtroom and time out of the courtroom. If you end up in jail as a result of a DWI, you’ll certainly miss even more time at work–and you may have the lost income to show for it.
Losing your job. Did you share your DWI charge with your employer? Many employers won’t be so understanding about the need to miss work due to a DWI. Some employers may choose to fire you, especially if you end up in jail. Others may have no choice but to fire you: if you drive for a living, whether as a delivery driver for a smaller organization or as a professional truck driver, you may lose your ability to work in those professions following a DWI conviction. Some jobs may also not consider you for future employment if you are convicted of driving while intoxicated. This conviction will show up on a background check, and future employers may show reluctance to take a chance on you as a result.
Watching your insurance costs increase substantially. Some insurance companies offer “accident forgiveness” incentives that allow you to keep your insurance costs low even after your first accident. Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not offer the same level of forgiveness for driving while intoxicated. After your first DWI conviction, your rates may jump substantially. Future DWI convictions may see your rates climbing even higher. In some cases, you may struggle to get insurance at all after a DWI.
Losing your license. Losing your license thanks to a DWI is both expensive and inconvenient. When you lose your license, you lose your ability to transport yourself easily. That may mean turning to public transportation, using Uber or taxis, or relying on a friend for rides–and those costs often add up all too quickly. In some cases, you may fight to receive a provisional license that will allow you to transport yourself to work or school, take care of transporting a loved one in an emergency, or to head to court-mandated events. If you do receive that provisional license, however, you may need to install a costly engine ignition interlock device to ensure that you have not been drinking before getting behind the wheel. Not only that, when you are ready to reinstate your license, you may face costly fees associated with that reinstatement.
Lost reputation. Once you have been convicted of driving while intoxicated, you may face a loss of your reputation that is hard to recover. You may lose respect within the community, or people who once looked up to you or relied on you may no longer consider you trustworthy. Unfortunately, recovering your reputation is incredibly difficult–and it’s often impossible to fully restore what was taken from you.
The Cost of Hiring an Attorney
The cost of hiring a DWI attorney in Minnesota will vary based on a variety of factors. Your attorney may, for example, charge lower fees for a relatively straightforward case. Your attorney may also charge less if you’re able to make a plea bargain, rather than having to take your case to court. In many cases, however, no matter how much your attorney fees mount, it’s still cheaper to hire an attorney than it is to live with the costs of a DWI–both in terms of the sheer financial cost and in terms of what it will cost you in other areas of your life. In many cases, an experienced Minnesota DWI attorney will be able to help you maintain many of your freedoms as well as decreasing the cost you face for your DWI conviction. In some cases, an attorney may even be able to help you toward a plea bargain that will keep it off your record, allowing you to keep your license or retain your current job in spite of the accusations against you.
Many people find that, as worried as they were about the cost of a DWI attorney, they should have worried more that they could not afford to go into a DWI charge without an experienced attorney at their side. Attorneys can help search for evidence to prove your innocence, reduce your costs, and make it easier for you to move forward with your life after a DWI.
Have you been charged with a DWI? Do you need an attorney on your side who will help alleviate the costs of your DWI and make it easier for you to maintain your freedoms–including your ability to operate a vehicle? Contact us today to learn more about how we can help build your defense and decrease the cost of your DWI.
Posted 9th July 2019 by DeVore Criminal Defense