Baton Rouge Felony DWI Lawyer

Your driving privileges are not the only thing that will be taken away upon a felony DWI conviction. You may lose your freedom, job, relationships and positive reputation. Few things are more important than your liberties and livelihood, so it’s crucial to protect them at all costs.

A felony DWI charge must not be treated lightly, as it has the power to destroy the life you have worked so hard to build. As soon as you learn about your accusation, you must quickly retain experienced Baton Rouge felony DWI attorneys to defend your DWI case. As your first line of defense, our DWI lawyers serving Baton Rouge can safeguard your rights and fight your allegations head-on.

When you choose our Baton Rouge felony DWI defense lawyers to have your back, we will work tirelessly to protect you. Learn how to get started on your criminal defense by contacting us online or calling (225) 414-5954 now!

Louisiana Felony DWI Laws

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is defined by Louisiana Law as “operating of any motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, vessel or other means of conveyance when any of the following conditions exist:

1. The operator is under the influence of alcoholic beverages;
2. the operator’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or more by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood;
3. the operator is under the influence of any controlled dangerous substance listed in Schedule I, II, III, IV or V as set forth in R.S. 40:964;
4. the operator is under the influence of a combination of alcohol and one or more drugs that are not controlled dangerous substances and that are legally obtainable with or without a prescription;
5. the operator is under the influence of one or more drugs that are not controlled dangerous substances and that are legally obtainable with or without a prescription.

The first two convictions for DWI in Louisiana in a ten year time span will be charged as misdemeanor DWI offenses, 1^st offense and 2^nd offense. A third DWI arrest within ten years of the previous two convictions will likely be charged as a DWI-3^rd offense, which is a FELONY offense.

The time you are awaiting trial, serving a sentence or on probation does not count toward your 10 year waiting period. For example, if you are arrested for a DWI in 2008 and you are subsequently convicted and complete probation in 2009, your ten years do not begin to run until you are released from probation in 2009. That means, if you are arrested for another DWI in 2019, that case will be within 10 years and can be enhanced to a DWI-2d offense and so on.

With each subsequent DWI case, the penalties are harsher. In some states, the “look back” period for DWI offenses is longer than 10 years. In Texas, there is no “look back” period, meaning if you are arrested and convicted of two DWI offenses in your twenties, then arrested again when you are 65 years old, that criminal case will be a DWI-3^rd offense, which is a felony. If you have prior offenses from the State of Texas that Louisiana is using against you, contact Baton Rouge DWI lawyer Hallye Braud who is licensed to practice law in both Texas and Louisiana.

Alcohol and drugs can impair a person’s judgment, senses and ability to drive safely. When a person has alcohol or drugs in their system and drives, they are not only putting themselves at risk but other people too. This is why Louisiana prosecutors can be ruthless in their attempts to put DWI offenders behind bars. It is very common for prosecutors to be exceptionally harsh with felony DWI defendants. No prosecutor wants the perception of being light on drunk drivers. That is why you need a zealous advocate that focuses their criminal defense practice on DWI defense!

Felony crimes are punishable by jail time and fines, but felony DWI charges include additional requirements in sentencing.

DWI-3^rd offense are punishable by:

• $2,000 fine
• 1 to 5 years in jail
  • At least one year of the sentence imposed shall be served without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.
• 2-year driver’s license suspension
• 240 hours of community service, if placed on probation
• Participation in substance abuse treatment programs
• Attendance at a court-approved driver improvement program
• Ignition Interlock Device

DWI-4^th offense and subsequent DWI convictions are punishable by:

• $5,000 fine
• 10 to 30 years in jail
  • At least two years of the sentence imposed shall be served without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. OR three years without benefit of parole, probation or a suspended sentence if the Defendant has previously participated in a drug division probation program on a DWI-3^rd offense conviction.
• 2-year driver’s license suspension
• 320 hours of community service, if placed on probation
• Participation in substance abuse treatment programs
• Attendance at a court-approved driver improvement program
• Ignition Interlock Device

Aggravating Factors in DWI Cases

Your DWI penalties may be increased on misdemeanor DWI offenses if aggravating factors were present at the time of your alleged incident. Aggravating factors increase the seriousness of your DWI punishment. They include:

• BAC of .149 or higher; .20 or higher
• Child endangerment
• Vehicular negligent injuring (when there is an inflicting of injury caused by the DWI)
• Multiple criminal offenses
• Property damage
• Driving on a suspended or revoked license

Defending Felony DWI Cases Serving Baton Rouge

When you’re up against criminal charges as serious as a felony DWI, do not wait until your court hearing to contact a Baton Rouge DWI lawyer. You need to quickly retain an experienced, proven legal team that obtains a proven track record for favorable outcomes.

Both Attorney Tommy Dewey and Attorney Hallye Braud are certified to administer standardized field sobriety testing and can use their key insight to effectively investigate your DWI case. Tommy’s prior law enforcement experience gives him a unique perspective in representing citizens accused of crimes and Hallye has focused her entire legal career on DWI defense. Dewey & Braud Law, LLC has been successful in avoid felony criminal convictions for our clients in East Baton Rouge Parish, Ascension Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, Livingston and surrounding South Louisiana parishes.

Our Baton Rouge criminal defense attorneys at Dewey & Braud Law, LLC have the qualifications your DWI case depends on. You should choose a team of DWI lawyers who go above and beyond to expand their knowledge in DWI defense and help clients come out on top.

To Learn More About How Our Lawyers Can Defend Your Felony DWI Case, Contact (225) 414-5954 Today!