What Should My Timeline Be After Being Arrested For A DWI?

Often we get calls from people wondering what to do if they are arrested for a DWI.  What is the time frame for talking to a lawyer?  When should your defense begin?

In the first 24 hours there are three things that should be first priority.  First, you need to talk to a bondsman to get you out of jail.  Second you need to figure out where your car is.  Often times the police tow the car to a local tow yard.  These places tend to charge per day that your car remains there, making it important to address this concern early.  The third thing you should prioritize in the first day after an arrest is to get some sleep.  A night in jail is seldom a restful one.  Getting some sleep is important to making the decisions that are coming your way. 

After you have had a chance to get some sleep, day 2 post arrest sees a couple things that should be done.  At this point you should do your best to write down what you remember from the night.  If there were people with you that night, writing down their names can be very helpful for your DWI defense.  The next thing you need to do is figure out how your job is going to handle you having been arrested.  Reading the company handbook is a good place to start.  

Then comes the time to find a DWI Lawyer.  You should begin this search by searching the internet and calling different law firms over the phone.  A couple considerations when talking to a law firm are, who answered the phone (a paralegal or the lawyer), how they are going to charge you, what experience they have in these types of cases, how often they try DWI cases, and lastly but most importantly, do you trust the person you talked to.  At the Law Office of RC Pate, you should expect to get to talk to a lawyer about your case.  

It is important to know there is a special deadline 15 days after the day of your arrest.  This is the deadline to request a hearing on your drivers license (a hearing called an ALR).  If you miss this deadline there is nothing that will stop your drivers license from being suspended.  The ALR process is also an important tool in preparing for your DWI defense.  Your decision on which lawyer to hire should be made before that 15 day period is up.  

If you or someone you love is in need of a DWI Lawyer, give us a call today.