Arrested for DWI in Texas When it comes to being arrested for DWI in the state of Texas, this is a situation that can prove to be perhaps one of the most stressful that you will ever experience. Despite the fact that a first offense is still legally considered to be a misdemeanor, it still remains a totally different experience as opposed to being issued a more standard traffic ticket.
Here is what you can expect when you end up getting arrested for DWI.
*The first step to expect is the arrest itself. Generally, an officer will pull you over then ask you a few questions regarding what you had to drink before then potentially administering a series of field sobriety tests. If the officer believes that you have failed these tests, you may be arrested for suspicion of DWI. In the event that this happens, you will then be taken into custody and transported to the local jail. It’s also important to keep in mind that when you are arrested, the officer may not read you your rights, as technically, Miranda warnings are only required if they plan on questioning you. This means that failing to read rights isn’t legally considered to be a type of “get out of jail free card” like many people may believe. Despite the fact that you may not have had your rights read to you, the police may still use what you say as evidence against you while you’re in custody thanks to their own recording equipment. In terms of your vehicle, there is every chance it will end up being searched, towed, and stored in a local impound lot.
*The next step involves jail. Once you arrive here, you will be processed and placed into the system itself. This process typically includes an officer who collects information such as your name, address, birth date, social security number, and more. Aside from providing this information, you are not legally required to speak with officers. In terms of what happens with any personal property that you may have on you, this will be seized and inventoried by the jail, and will only be returned to you once you are released. On the other hand, if any of your personal property is considered to be evidence, there is a chance that you may not get it back even after you’ve been released. You will also be fingerprinted in order to confirm your identity and to determine if you also have any outstanding warrants.
*The next step involves bail, which is the monetary amount set aside by the court for arrested individuals to pay if they wish to be immediately released from jail, as well as to assure a court appearance. First-time offenders will see bail usually set at around $500, with release possibly taking around 12 hours from your initial arrest time depending on where you were actually arrested.
*The next step involves hiring an attorney. Starting with your arrest, there’s every chance you’ll have to deal with all kinds of questions, expectations, and tests, as a suspect of DWI. The best thing to do as soon as possible is to hire an experienced DWI attorney in order to improve your chances of fighting the charges against you, especially since the legal proceedings involving this kind of charge can be extremely complicated.
Arrested for DWI in Texas *The final step involves meeting with your attorney. Getting arrested for DWI is something that can end up happening rather quickly and it can also be hard to recall each and every detail the longer you wait. This is why it’s extremely important to let your attorney know all of the details regarding your arrest and processing as soon as you possibly can, as this will allow them to start getting to work on building your case.