The Katy, TX DWI / DUI Lawyer You Can Depend On
Charged with driving under the influence in Katy? Talk to an attorney who can help.
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A DWI in Katy Can Cost You Big Time. Let Us Help.
If you’ve recently been charged with a DWI in Katy or elsewhere in Fort Bend County, you shouldn’t throw in the towel yet. You can still fight for your future.
DWI is an acronym that stands for driving while intoxicated. It’s sometimes also referred to as a DUI or driving under the influence. It’s legalese for driving drunk. It’s one of the more common crimes around Katy.
You face some serious penalties if you’re caught on a DWI. Since it’s an easily avoidable crime, the Fort Bend County courts will often treat offenders harshly. This is why we created Michael & Associates.
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What Are the Penalties for a DWI in Katy
Just because DWIs are a common crime doesn’t mean that Katyites don’t suffer from the penalties. They can be quite harsh: jail time and heavy fines. Here are the penalties for DWI convictions by the number of offenses:
First offense:
- You must pay up to a $2,000 fine
- You must spend between 3 and 180 days in jail
- Loss of driver’s license for up to a year
Second offense:
- You must pay up to a $4,000 fine
- You must spend between 1 and 12 months in jail
- Loss of driver’s license for up to two years
Third or more offense:
- You must pay up to a $10,000 fine
- You must spend between 2 and 10 years in prison
- Loss of driver’s license for up to two years
- Felony charge on your record
If you were caught making a traffic violation or, worse, driving with a minor in the car, you can face severe enhanced charges.
Never Give Up – Go on the Defense
There is often only one deciding factor between someone who gets hit with the full force of DWI penalties and someone who has their case dismissed: the first person gave up early on, and the second one hired a competent lawyer or defense team to save their skin.
In addition to the legal penalties, you might suffer further financial and social ones. It can range from higher car insurance rates to not being able to find a job. This is your future at stake. Be like the second person in the paragraph above: put up a fight.
Michael & Associates Is Your Best Option in Katy
Why hire a mediocre firm that costs less in the short term but costs you more in the long term through harsher penalties? It’ll be hard to enjoy the initial $100 you saved when you’re sitting in county jail for half a year, even after saying goodbye to your savings.
Go with Michael & Associates from the start. Why? We have the years of experience and the case count under our belts to know what we’re doing. We know DWI laws like the back of our hand, especially in Fort Bend County.
Katyites can count on us to provide them with the best service possible. We will treat your case like it’s our own, and our managing partner, Ben Michael, will be there personally to answer any and every question you have.
Rest assured with Michael & Associates that we’ll get your case dismissed or your charges dropped. Contact us to schedule a free case review.
Frequently Asked Questions about DWI/DUI in Katy
At Michael & Associates, we take pride in offering you the white-glove treatment and the best outcome you can hope for.
There are so many lawyers in Texas who offer clients big promises but deliver scant results. These lawyers aren’t always worth what they charge. Do they give each case 100%? Usually, they don’t. They just try to close a case quickly so they can move on to an easier one.
Ben Michael has a different philosophy. We only take on the cases we can handle personally. By limiting our caseload, we can offer that white-glove treatment to each client.
We give our clients Ben’s direct number. He is available any time of the day to his clients. At other firms, you are lucky if you can leave a message and get a call back the next day. Usually, it takes days.
Ben Michael is there to see you through the entire process, from beginning to end. We know that our clients are facing one of the worst moments in their lives. At their lowest point, we can step in to help things get back on track. We fight for you.
Michael & Associates will accept felony and misdemeanor criminal cases of all types. We work on cases that include, but aren’t limited to, the following:
- DUI / DWI
- Possession of a Controlled Substance
- Assault & Battery
- Family Violence
- Domestic Abuse
We don’t practice:
- Traffic Law
- Family Law
- Immigration Law
- Civil Law
Our firm is licensed to practice law in every Texas county. We are accepting new clients across the state, in all major metropolitan areas.
Just like any other city in Texas, when you are stopped in Katy, or anywhere else in Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller counties, anyone operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher can be charged with DWI. Your BAC is the number that represents the saturation level of alcohol in your system. Exactly how many drinks it requires to be at or above .08% is different for everyone. Your height, weight, and sex are all contributors. It mostly relies on how long it has been since you took a sip of alcohol.
It all comes down to whether or not you have any prior convictions.
First Offense
- A fine as high as $2,000
- Up to 6 months in jail, with 3 days mandatory
- Losing your license for a year
Second Offense
- A fine as high as $4,000
- From 30 to 365 days in jail
- Losing your license for as many as two years
Third Offense
- $10,000 fine
- 2 to 10 years in prison
- Losing your license for as many as two years
Additional penalties that might apply for having an underage passenger in the motor vehicle:
- Increased fines up to $10,000
- Up to two years in jail
- Six additional months of driver’s license suspension
The first thing you should keep in mind is that failure to stop for an officer will send you directly to prison. Do not run from the police. You will make things much worse for yourself, and you will not outrun them.
When the officer approaches the vehicle, make sure both of your hands are visible. The officer will ask for your paperwork and license. When you go to retrieve them, ask first and let the officer know where you are reaching. Always be as polite as possible.
The officer might also ask you if you know the reason they initiated the traffic stop. You should politely tell them you don’t know why you were stopped. They are looking to establish a reason for the stop, and use that probable cause in court. Don’t remove that line of defense from your lawyer’s arsenal.
Keep in mind that you are on bodycam, so always be as respectful as possible. However, you have the right to refuse to take breathalyzer and field sobriety tests. You will lose your license for a year if you refuse to take a breathalyzer, but if convicted of DWI you would lose the license anyway. Your lawyer can help you fight for a good outcome in either case.
If the officer who initiated the stop thinks they notice any slurred speech, alcohol on your breath, or bloodshot eyes, you might be detained for suspicion of DWI. Once arrested, police will ask you to submit to a breathalyzer or blood test. Refusal means suspension of your license.
Officers can (and will) get a warrant to draw blood and force you to submit to the test, but obtaining the warrant will take some time. Once they’ve gotten the warrant, it’s in your best interest to let them draw the blood. Otherwise, they will do it by force, and it will not be pleasant.
Never answer questions without a lawyer present, and ask to have a conversation with your lawyer as soon as possible.
Yes. You should always put up a vigorous defense against a DWI charge. This situation requires you to mount a swift and robust defense. You need a tough lawyer by your side.