Faced with a DWI arrest? This is not something that should be taken lightly. Even if you have never been arrested before or even if your license is perfectly clean, there is a lot at stake. To keep your record intact and your vehicle on the road, contact Ramsey Country DWI Lawyers sooner, rather than later.

DWI Defense Strategy

Every single DWI case is different. How fast you were driving, where you were driving, who was with you, what street you were using, whether or not there were others involved in the arrest, your previous record, your attitude and the judge on the case will all heavily impact what sentence you receive. However, the most important factor that will determine your fate is your legal defense.

The Ramsey Country DUI Lawyer that you choose will make a huge difference to your case. Derek Meaney and Ethan Patrin of Meaney and Patrin Law Firm dedicate 99 percent of their practice to helping those facing a driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence arrest. Known as the “DWI Guys” in the legal industry, you can expect the best outcome possible when working with Meaney and Patrin.

Arrested for a DUI? What Next?

The goal to any DWI offense is to reduce the sentence as much as possible. In some instances, if, for example, you did not take the breathalyzer tests, the arresting officer was out of protocol or if the evidence is not accurate, then you could walk away with a clean slate. Speaking to a Ramsey Country DWI Attorney about your options and your best defense tactics will help you determine what you can expect.

We operate on three simple but effective standards of practice: knowledge, dedication and strategy. When you put these three things together you get results. Our lawyers work tirelessly to retrace what happened on the road. We speak to experts in the industry and will look for any loopholes in the system.

In many cases the machinery and testing used to check your blood alcohol concentrate can be faulty or not accurate. What this means is that your arrest is void. We look for these opportunities and take them to ensure you the best chance to clear your name. If there is a way out of your DWI arrest, we will get you there.

What is at Stake?

Getting arrested for a DUI may not seem like a big deal but, in reality, this small crime comes with big penalties including:

-    Hefty fines up to $14,000
-    Prison time up to seven years
-    License suspension or revocation up to one year
-    Vehicle impoundment or administration of ‘whisky plates’
-    Higher insurance premiums
-    A permanent black mark on your record

Contact the DWI Guys 24/7

All of these things should be avoided at all costs. Why make life any harder than it needs to be by living with a criminal record? Contact our offices at 1-800-DWI-GUYS or 612-333-3636 for a free initial consultation. The sooner you act, the sooner we can help you out of this jam and back onto the road.

Any DWI offense can impact more than just your driver’s license. Whether you are facing a standard ticket and license revocation, potential prison time or a felony offense, you do not want to risk your entire life and tarnish your record over a silly incident on the road. Make sure you understand your legal rights and explore the many options you have when faced with a DUI charge by speaking to an Anoka Country DWI Attorney as soon as you have been arrested.

Facing a License Revocation

In some instances a license revocation is no big deal. If you do not depend on your car or if you have a very patient parent or spouse that is willing to drive you around, then you might be fine taking the passenger seat. However, many of us depend on our vehicles to get to work, to drive the kids to school, to do the weekly shopping and to socialize with friends. Even if you are okay taking the bus for a certain period of time, you can expect to pay double, if not triple, the premiums on your insurance when you do get your license back and need to register your vehicle.

Depending on the circumstances surrounding your arrest, you could be looking at a license suspension from 90 days to one year. Our Anoka County DWI Lawyers are committed to ensuring that your license is not suspended and that you remain on the roads, even after a DWI arrest.

Facing a Misdemeanor Offense

If you are faced with a second or third degree DWI offense then you could be looking at up to one year in prison and a $3000 fine. A misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor criminal offense generally means that you have been charged with a previous DUI crime in the past, or that you have been arrested with a BAC level of .2 or higher. If you have children under the age of 16 in the car at the time of the offense you could also be looking at a misdemeanor offense and prison time away from your loved ones.

Facing a Felony Arrest

If you have been accused of a felony DUI offense, then this means you are facing a first degree DWI. If you have three previous convictions for DUI offenses or if your arrest involved life threatening or fatality to someone else on the road then you could be looking at this serious offense. Felony DWI offenses come with up to seven years in prison and a $14,000 fine as well as license revocation and other potential punishments.

Contact the DWI Guys

Regardless of what you are up against, it is important that you act fast to clear your name and your record. It is our goal to get you the best outcome possible by clearing your name and keeping your license intact. Please contact our offices at 1-800-DWI-GUYS or 612-333-3636 for an initial consultation at no charge to you and see what an Anoka County DUI Lawyer can do for your future.

If you have been arrested for a DWI or DUI then you are probably aware of the risks. You will lose points that can result in a license suspension or vehicle impoundment. This could impact your career, the social life and your family life among other things. However, in many instances, if there are aggravating factors present at the time of the arrest, a simple DUI can result in a criminal conviction, jail time and a hefty fine. This is something that all drivers in Hennepin County will want to avoid at all costs. Make the right moves to keeping your license and clearing your record by contacting Meaney and Patrin Law Firm.

Derek Meaney and Ethan Patrin are nicknamed the “DWI Guys” in the legal industry due to their extensive experience and success with cases pertaining to drinking while intoxicated or under the influence. Don’t take second chances with your criminal record. For any DWI arrest or breathalyzer refusal, contact a Hennepin Country DWI Attorney right away!

Facing a DWI Arrest

Many drivers across Hennepin County do not think that a DUI arrest is a big deal. Pay the fee, get the ticket, and lose a couple points – no big deal right? However, even a fourth degree DUI, which entails driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher, can result in a potential loss of license if you already have points on your record. Furthermore, not only will you need to pay the ticket but you can also expect your insurance premiums to rise considerably.

Aggravating Factors in a DUI Arrest

If you have been arrested while one or more aggravating factors are present then you could be faced with more than just a ticket. Aggravating factors include:

• If you have had a DWI conviction in the previous ten years or if you have faced a Careless Driving arrest then this can result in a heftier conviction this time around. Even if the arrest took place in another state, it can still impact your current arrest
• If you have a blood alcohol concentration level of .20 or above
• If you have been arrested for a DWI and have someone under the age of 16 in the vehicle at the time of the arrest. So, if you have been drinking and have your children in the car with you, then you will automatically be looking at a higher criminal offense.

Depending on the degree of your DUI you could be looking at up to 7 years in prison and $14,000 in fines. This is for a felony offense. Gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor offenses can result in $1000-$3000 of fines and 90 days to 1 year in prison.

Contact the DWI Guys Today!

So what are you up against? This depends on your situation. Even if you have a clean record until now, you could still be charged with an offense. Our Hennepin County DWI Lawyers will assess your case on an individual basis and determine the best defense tactic to take.

Contact our offices at 1-800-DWI-GUYS or 612-333-3636 for a free initial consultation and speak to a Hennepin County DUI Lawyer about your next move.

Minneapolis — A large crowd of attorneys and people charged with drunk driving met in Minneapolis Tuesday morning to prepare for a statewide court case that could potentially impact hundreds of DWI cases in Minnesota.

The case challenges the reliability of the Intoxilyzer, an instrument widely used to measure the blood alcohol level of a person who’s suspected of drunken driving. Some prosecutors say if the judge finds problems with the machines, they might have to discard some DWI cases.

The Intoxilyzer is a large machine, usually housed in police stations. It’s designed to produce a more accurate analysis of blood alcohol levels than the handheld devices used by officers in the field.

Defense attorney Derek Patrin says there’s a lot riding on the accuracy of the machines.

“This breath sample that’s being collected and then just destroyed — no defendant can never retest it and make sure it’s accurate, like DNA testing or other types of forensic evidence,” said Patrin. “Once that machine tests that sample, it’s gone. So this machine has to be right.”

Last year, one of Patrin’s clients challenged the results of an Intoxilyzer analysis. The Minnesota Supreme Court confirmed the person was entitled to view the source code — the language used to write the program running the Intoxilyzer 5000.

Patrin says in the case of someone who tests at or just slightly above the legal limit of .08, a slight error in the code could have a drastic effect.

“Losing driving privileges, facing jail time, facing decreased standing when it comes to employment opportunities — all of these types of things affect peoples’ livelihood and their life,” he said.

Patrin — whose law firm, Meaney and Patrin, advertises as the “DWI Guys” — is optimistic that a judge will find problems with the Intoxilyzer’s code.

If that happens, some DWI cases — although it’s hard to tell how many — may be overturned.

Minneapolis City Attorney Susan Segal says her office handled more than 1,500 DWI cases in 2009. But last year, Segal says the city saw the writing on the wall and stopped using the Intoxilyzer before many other cities did.

That means if a judge rules the machines are not accurate, the city will only have to drop 18 DWI cases.

“We were fairly conservative on it, which is why we are in a relatively good position and have been able to continue to pursue these cases,” Segal said. “These are among the more important cases our office is responsible for prosecuting.”

The city’s decision to forgo breath analysis has meant that DWI suspects are given blood and urine tests. Segal says those test results may take six weeks, making a speedy trial a bit challenging.

Segal and other law enforcement officials say the Intoxilyzer challenge is without merit. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says Intoxilyzers are widely accepted as accurate enough.

“Frankly, the science is very good. The question is, are the Intoxilyzers wrong? Very rarely,” said Freeman. “The science isn’t quite as good as DNA, but I think the defense attorneys are doing what defense attorneys are supposed to do. They challenge every part of the system.”

The Intoxilyzer hearing is scheduled to start in September.