We Can Help If You Have Been Charged with Drunk Driving, Other Traffic Offenses, and Crimes
A drunk driving arrest is a scary experience. If you have never been charged with a serious traffic offense or crime before, the entire process can be overwhelming. The important thing to remember is not to panic and speak with a lawyer as soon as possible to understand your rights.
A qualified Mount Laurel DWI attorney can help you in protecting your constitutional and other legal rights as your drunk driving case moves through the New Jersey court system. At the Law Office of Matthew V. Portella, LLC, we represent clients charged with DWI/DUI and many other serious criminal offenses. Our goal is to protect you and defend your rights and interests, make you as comfortable and informed as possible as you go through the court system, and obtain the best possible outcome for you.
What Happens During a DWI/DUI Arrest in New Jersey?
Many Mount Laurel DWI/DUI cases start the same way. A person is driving on the New Jersey Turnpike or Route 295 when they are signaled by an officer to pull over. The driver may initially assume this is just a simple traffic stop. Perhaps they were speeding or failed to signal a lane change. The driver figures they will be issued a ticket and allowed to go on their way.
But as the traffic stop continues, the officer starts asking questions. Where is the driver going? Have they had any drinks tonight? In the moment, the driver may not fully appreciate or realize what is happening. The driver may not even be cognizant of the fact they do not have to answer such questions.
After a few more minutes pass, the officer asks the driver to step outside of their vehicle to perform field sobriety tests. Again, the driver may not know they do not have to agree to such tests or what the legal consequences are if they refuse to perform the tests. They certainly do not realize that if they fail to perform the tests to the officer’s satisfaction that the officer may have “probable cause” to arrest and charge them with DWI/DUI, and that their performance on the tests could be used as evidence against them in court.
Once a driver is arrested and charged with DWI, they often feel like they have no choice but to plead guilty and hope for the best. But the reality is that many DWI cases are based on little evidence–or at least flimsy evidence. An experienced Mount Laurel DWI attorney may, in many cases, get the charges reduced or even dismissed if the State’s proofs are weak.
For example, you may know that a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent is the legal limit in New Jersey. Police administer Alcotest (which replaced the Breathalyzer year ago) or a similar chemical test to confirm BAC after an arrest. Yet these test results are not always reliable. If a test is improperly administered, or the equipment is faulty, it can return unreliable or inaccurate results. And given that even a 0.01 percent variance can mean the difference between a DWI conviction or acquittal, it is important to get the facts straight.
What Are the Penalties for DWI in New Jersey?
The first thing most of our Mount Laurel DWI clients want to know is, “Will I go to jail if I’m found guilty?” But jail time is still possible. New Jersey law authorizes judges to impose sentences of up to 30 days for a first-time DWI conviction. A second conviction carries a minimum jail term of 48 hours and up to 90 days. And a third or subsequent conviction carries a jail term of 180 days.
Even without jail time, however, a DWI conviction can still upend your life. Your driver’s license may be suspended. Alternatively, you may be required to install an ignition interlock device on your car for up to 3 months. And the penalties you face will increase if your blood-alcohol content is 0.10 percent or greater or if there were any minors present in your vehicle at the time of your arrest.
Representing Individuals Charged in Mount Laurel with Traffic Offenses or Crimes
In addition to our DWI/DUI practice, the Law Office of Matthew V. Portella, LLC, represents individuals charged in Burlington County in a wide assortment of traffic and criminal cases. We can help you with any of the following:
- All traffic offenses;
- Drug and weapons charges;
- Sexual offenses, including Megan’s Law violations;
- Robbery and burglary;
- Aggravated assault; and
- Driving with a license suspended due to a prior DWI conviction.
If you need to speak with an experienced Mount Laurel traffic and criminal defense attorney, contact our office today to schedule a consultation with Matthew V. Portella.
