The McKinney, TX DWI / DUI Lawyer Who Fights Back
Facing a DWI charge in McKinney? Scared of facing jail time and severe fines? Michael & Associates is an experienced firm who knows their stuff. We've got your back.
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Don’t Let a McKinney DWI Bankrupt You. Call Us.
DWIs can eat your wallet and land you in jail. It’s even worse for repeat offenders. You can be looking at the loss of your life savings.
The stress of potential jail time and severe financial woes is enough to cause some of our clients mental health crises.
Michael & Associates is here to help. No matter how serious your charges are, no matter how difficult it will be to fight the Collin County court system, we’ve got your back.
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DWIs Can Mean Jail Time and Serious Fines
You might think your first DWI will land you a simple slap on the wrist. Think again. It can land you in jail on top of making you pay thousands in fees.
Here are the penalties for DWI convictions in McKinney and Collin County:
First-time offense:
- A $2,000 fine
- Between 3 and 180 days in jail
- Loss of driver’s license for up to a year
Second-time offense:
- A $4,000 fine
- Between one and 12 months in jail
- Loss of driver’s license for up to two years
Third-time+ offense:
- A $10,000 fine
- Between 2 and 10 years in prison
- Loss of driver’s license for up to two years
- Felony charge on your criminal record that can cause damage to your reputation
This is just for the DWI charge. If you face further charges for breaking other laws, you’re looking at more jail time and worse fines if convicted.
Put Up a Fight and Take Back Your Future
You won’t just be facing penalties from the Collin County court system, you’ll be facing social ones as well. You will be ineligible for certain jobs with a DWI conviction. If you are convicted for a third time and get a felony on your record, you might have a hard time finding any form of employment at all due to the stigma convicts carry with them.
It may seem bleak, but don’t give up yet.
You don’t have to face your DWI by yourself. There are legal defense teams who exist solely to fight these charges in Texas.
You Can Always Count on Michael & Associates
If you’re facing a DWI charge in McKinney or elsewhere in Collin County, Michael & Associates is the firm for you. We’ve fought similar charges all over the state – including repeat offenders – and we’ve got an impressive record.
Due to our long history of nearly ten years fighting DWIs in the state, we know what we’re doing, Most of our clients happily get their life back after their court date, because we help them get reduced charges or their cases dismissed.
Not only will you get our stellar performance in court, you’ll get to work directly with our managing partner, Ben Michael. He’s great at what he does both in the courtroom and outside of the courtroom, providing quality client care to make sure you feel relaxed during this stressful time.
If you want Michael & Associates by your side on your court date, schedule a free case review by filling out the contact form on this page. As soon as we get your request, we’ll get to work drafting up the best legal defense you’ll get in town.
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 county in Texas, including Collin 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 McKinney, or anywhere else in Collin County, 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 depends on how long it has been since you took a sip of alcohol.
In McKinney, 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.