Dallas DWI Defense Attorneys

If you were arrested or charged with DWI, contact the Dallas DWI defense attorneys of the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter right now to discuss your legal options. We could represent you in your case and provide the defense you need to get the charges reduced or dropped entirely.

An arrest for driving while intoxicated can upend a person’s life. If convicted, you can face a jail sentence, fines, license revocation, and a range of other harsh penalties. The consequences can be far-reaching and affect your family, job, and reputation within the community. Even after you serve your sentence, you can face challenges while putting the pieces of your life back together.

Call us at (214) 845-7007 today for your free consultation with one of our Dallas DWI defense attorneys and learn more about how we can help you after a DWI arrest or charge.

drinks, cuffs and car keys

Legal Proceedings Involved in a DWI Case

You could end up with two cases following a DWI arrest. One is a civil case involving the state trying to suspend your driver’s license. The other is a criminal charge for the offense you committed.

Civil Case

A DWI arrest doesn’t necessarily mean you automatically lose your driver’s license. You have an opportunity to fight to keep it. The arresting officer might take your license away from you when they take you to jail. However, they should provide you with a Notice of Suspension letter. This does not mean you can’t get your license back. It’s just a temporary suspension of your driving privileges.

You are entitled to attend an Administrative License Revocation (ALR) hearing after an arrest for a DWI offense. If you don’t request a hearing, you could face a longer period of license suspension.

Typically, law enforcement takes a person’s driver’s license from them during a DWI traffic stop if the motorist fails a blood or breath test or refuses to consent to one. The officer should give it back to you if you pass the test.

If you decide to proceed with an ALR hearing, it’s the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) job to convince the administrative court that the police officer had a valid reason to stop you for DWI and subsequently arrest you.

Criminal Case

A criminal case involves a criminal penalty instead of a civil one. Rather than facing just license suspension or revocation, you could end up with a jail sentence.

The punishment issued by the court will depend on the circumstances of the offense. For example, if this is your third DWI charge or the incident involved a car crash resulting in another person’s death, you could face a harsher penalty than you’d get for a first offense.

It’s a good idea to consult an experienced DWI defense lawyer before proceeding with your criminal case. You should never enter a plea or speak with law enforcement about the crime unless you’ve retained someone’s legal services. The Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter can walk you through each step of your criminal case, so you know what to expect and how to handle the process.

DWI Defined by Texas Law

According to Texas statute 49.04, driving while intoxicated occurs when a person operates a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Legal intoxication happens when a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at or above 0.08%. Once the consumed alcohol affects someone’s physical or mental faculties, it’s a violation of state DWI law to drive.

Penalties for a DWI Conviction in Texas

Sentencing for a DWI charge depends on the circumstances surrounding the crime. Typically, a first offense DWI is a Class B misdemeanor. The penalty includes:

Suspended license for 90 to 365 days
A maximum of a $2,000 fine
Between 72 hours and 180 days in jail

However, if the results of a breath, blood, or urine test show a BAC of 0.15% or higher, the crime becomes a Class A misdemeanor. You could face a sentence of:

Suspended license for 90 to 365 days
A maximum of a $4,000 fine
Between 30 days and one year in jail

A second and third offense DWI is also a Class A misdemeanor. The penalty for a jail term and fine are similar, but the license suspension can range from 180 days to two years.

If you were arrested for a third DWI offense, penalties would increase to a third-degree felony. Sentencing could include:

Suspended license for 180 days to two years
A maximum of a $10,000 fine
Between two and ten years in prison

The judge might issue a probation period regardless of the number of prior DWI charges you have. The terms of your probation could require you to:

Complete an alcohol awareness class
Refrain from consuming alcohol
Pay fines and court costs
Stay inside the country
Avoid committing another crime
Participate in a community service program
Report to the probation officer regularly
Submit to random breath tests

drunk and distracted driver

How to Defend Against a DWI Charge

If you face a DWI charge, hiring a lawyer to represent you in your criminal case is critical. The appropriate strategy to defend you against this charge will depend on various factors, such as the results of a chemical test and whether you caused a car accident involving someone’s injury or death.

The most common defenses used in DWI cases include:

Improper handling or storing of blood or urine samples used to test blood alcohol concentration
A violation of your constitutional rights, such as an illegal search of your car or a denied request to speak to your lawyer
Law enforcement failing to follow the correct procedures while administering a field sobriety test
The arresting officer had no probable cause to stop and arrest you for DWI

The Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter is familiar with effective defense strategies and will use the one we believe can reach the best possible result.

Contact Us

At the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter, we pride ourselves on our dedication to each client that hires us. You will be our top priority and receive the personalized attention you deserve.

We know you’re struggling to move forward from this devastating experience. You can count on us to advocate for your rights and fight hard for your freedom.

If you were arrested for DWI or face criminal charges, do not hesitate to call the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter at (214) 845-7007, or contact us online for your free consultation with one of our Dallas DWI defense attorneys.

TESTIMONIALS

Recommendation for Mark LassiterI am pleased to write a letter of recommendation. I highly recommend Mark Lassiter to others who are seeking such assistance. His representation allowed me to do very little in my case. It was Mark’s proven expertise and his legal knowledge that was valuable in getting my case dismissed. In short, I recommend Mark enthusiastically without reservation and I do believe he would be a valuable asset to you.

- Name Redacted

dear Markplease accept this letter on my and Susan’s behalf. there is a powerful message and testimony we would like to share with you for the first time.for over a year the weight of what happened to Reid was heavy on our souls. at first we held great anger, resentment and disgust toward Angel (the passenger). it became evident after turning 21 the Angel has a severe alcohol problem which my son nor us fully understood. The arrest also brought us great disappointment, frustration and disheartenment toward Reid.We have found that God often surprises us with his answers to our prayers. Prior to the arrest was had been in prayer that God help turn Reid away from selfishness, childishness and destructive ways. We prayed that God move to change him toward everlasting values and better choices in his life. We believe that God answered that prayer with the arrest. We blamed ourselves for bringing this calamity but understood it would take something this powerful to reach him. There is no doubt in our minds this ordeal has placed a permanent imprint on his soul.during the many delays associated with this case we were able to put forgiveness in our hearts toward Angel. Also during the many delays the full weight of the case in our and Reid’s mind triggered conversations pertaining to life decisions and direction. Time allowed us the opportunity to be rid of the noise and cloudiness of our emotions. We believe this to be a part of the master plan that God was overseeing.Only today did the full story become revealed. During this case with all the odds against us can we say without question that God was in it. How else could the series of events occurred within the judicial process that could put the opportunity in to your mind that there was a way to victory. The entire morning Susan and i were in fervent prayer even after your told us we had only a 25% chance of winning.Grace is the receipt of a blessing that is undeserved. Reid did not deserve to win today. We all are eternally marked by the message of grace given to us and you were the instrument that brought the gift to our house. Thank you from bottom of our souls and may God bless and keep you all of your days.

- Name Redacted

Dear Mr. Lassiter,Today you saved my son’s life. When he received a DWI, it broke my heart because I knew it would be on his record forever. It would limit his options in life. He would be paying for his stupid mistake for the rest of his life. At 21 years of age he was overwhelmed with the depth of the problem he created for himself.I decided to find him the best lawyer in Dallas, and I did. I researched lawyers for two days, and then I found you. I knew from the moment I read about you that you were the one we needed. When I met you, I knew instantly that I had complete confidence in you. Even if the result had ended with my son being guilty, I would have had peace knowing that he had had THE BEST lawyer.Listening to you “own” the courtroom today was amazing. You told us in the morning that we only had about 25% chance to win; however, by the middle of the afternoon the case was over before the prosecutors even finished, and we won! What an incredible lawyer you are!I will be grateful forever to you. Your work has given my son a second chance. He left the courtroom today with a whole new perspective on life…thanks to you!Very sincerely,

- Susan Ellis

unless you are already a petty criminal with countless B and C misdemeanors and a misdemeanor A pending, a DWI charge might not really matter much – for all the others counts: Fight it with all you got – get the best professional to your side you can find!Why should you? A simple google search “Texas DWI penalties” will give you an idea what you are looking at: prison, probation, fines, classes, ignition interlock, insurance rate skyrockets and a criminal record for life (yes – this can happen even for a first time DWI in Texas) Now if you read until this point you probably are charged with a DWI (or simply board) and you are shopping for a lawyer – so some basic guidance:a) Same as in real life: You want to be surrounded by people who know what they are talking about. Nobody likes people who constantly brag around, through around the usual business buzz words which doesn’t mean anything. So: Get somebody who is specialized in this field, means if 50% or more of his work is in the field of defending DWI’s that’s probably a good indicator– Mark is one of them – talk to him you will see!b) Educate yourself – thanks to a wonderful innovation by DARPA (which you are using in this moment) you can read all about it: What happened the night before, what’s a SFT, what is a legal stop, how does an Intoxilyzer 5000 work and what flaws does it have, possible plea bargain options (not so tempting ones in TX anyway) – read the stuff, it’s out there and discuss it with your attorney – if he doesn’t want or can’t answer your questions, that’s a pretty good indicator that your sitting in the wrong office, run!– Mark WILL answer your questions – and I’m convinced you cannot surprise him with a question in your case that he can’t answer or will find an answer for you!c) Your lawyer should – more or less – from the beginning be willing to take your case to Trial, all the way. What do you have to lose? If you are a BAC 0.28 candidate and you plea it down to a misdemeanor B it technically looks better on paper – but it will still follow you for life (most employers wouldn’t even consider the difference or know it – a DWI is a DWI…) If you are a BAC 0.09 candidate your chances are even better – (did you know the Intoxilyzer 5000 gives himself a +-0.02 calibration margin? What now, is a BAC 0.09 and hour after driving now under the legal limit? Guess what, the state will state “off course NOT! The magic machine proved he’s Intoxicated and guilty!” That’s why you need a lawyer on your side who is willing to take it to trial!– Mark is a trial lawyer – those people don’t want to plea out, they need the courtroom as their stage, that’s what they love to do, that’s what they are good at – so let him do it for you!d) Money / Costs – completely neglect. This is not the time for price comparison. You are not out there to shop for new hardwood floor for your living room – you are out there to get the best possible outcome in a situation which initial will hurt you if convicted pretty bad (financially), possible cost you your job, destroy your reputation and will follow you around for the rest of your natural life.– Mark will not overcharge you for his service, in my opinion you are getting a great deal. If you have the feeling you cannot afford a lawyer like Mark put it into perspective: if you hire a $500 lawyer and plead guilty maybe to a DWI misdemeanor B, you will pay much more over the years in court costs, classes, probation fees, DPS surcharges, insurance and and and… But if you hire Mark, you have one of the best at your side, you have a real chance – off course Mark isn’t a magic wizard who can make everything go away in a moment’s notice, but 5,10,20 years down the road you don’t want to think “oh boy, I wish I would have fought this thing more aggressively back then…” I was already a bit into my case when I met Mark. Mark has a can do attitude, does not try to beat around the bush and most importantly: He looks at things, tries different avenues, seeks out weaknesses in the case base on the evidence presented – if you meet him, you will have the same experience. During our meetings we discussed alternatives and other options e.g. expert witnesses, jury trial, bench trial, plea agreement (even if he didn’t like that – Mark doesn’t want to plea, he wants to win for his clients)And here is the outcome:A clear acquittal – NOT GUILTY(even better than a dismissal which technically can be reopened by the DA within the statute of limitations – if I understood that right – Not guilty means you are not guilty, case expunged – that’s the end of it!)Mark’s services helped me to get the best possible outcome you can expect when you are charged with a (DWI / DUI) crime and I hope I will never see him again….. (under such circumstances J ) –

- Daniel

I would never use or recommend anyone else for anybody else for a criminal manner.

- Cory M.

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