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Should you plead guilty to a DWI?

On Behalf of | Feb 2, 2022 | DWI

There are plenty of times when it makes sense to admit to doing something wrong, but in criminal law, you rarely want to plead guilty to a crime unless you know that you have no other option. Pleading guilty to a DWI could end up leading to heavy fines, the loss of your license, time in jail and other penalties that you may not have to deal with if you defend yourself and plead innocence.

In New York, a first-offense DWI could lead to up to $1,000 in fines, six months of a license suspension and other penalties. By pleading guilty, you are almost guaranteeing that you will face at least some of those penalties, if not all. If this is not your first offense, then the penalties could be even more severe.

If you know you’re guilty, why plead innocent?

Guilt isn’t the only thing that determines the outcome of a case. In reality, DWI cases are multifaceted and have to be handled with precision. The prosecution has to show that the arresting officer performed Breathalyzer testing accurately, for example, and that your rights were not violated in any way from the time of the traffic stop through your arrest or stay at the police station.

On top of this, your attorney will look into the evidence that is against you and then question the chain of possession of things like blood samples. Why? It’s possible that a blood sample could go missing or that breath test results could be lost. Knowing if there is actual, physical evidence against you is important to helping determine if you should plead innocent or guilty as well as defining the kinds of penalties that you are at risk of facing.

It’s your right to have a defense, so you should use it

Every case is different, but you need to know that someone is on your side.  There are many different elements of a DWI case to go over, and you should be reassured that your case has been handled correctly through and thought. If you have questions, then it’s important to ask someone familiar with DWI law in the state.

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