A DWI Lawyer in Cedar Rapids IA offers skilled legal representation to people who have been charged with driving while intoxicated. This doesn’t mean the attorney condones driving while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. If the client is guilty of the offense, the lawyer definitely wants this to be the final time the person ever commits this offense. Helping the client avoid the worst legal consequences of a DUI charge is not meant to encourage the person to feel that drunk driving is in any way acceptable. Instead, the individual should feel encouraged to view this as a second chance and to always behave responsibly behind the wheel in the future.
A person who has been arrested for DWI can take some proactive steps that may impress a judge or the prosecuting attorney about his or her seriousness in making positive changes. Enrolling in an outpatient or inpatient alcohol treatment program is an example. If this was an incident that is entirely out of character for the individual, a DWI Lawyer in Cedar Rapids IA will provide evidence to support this assertion. Character witnesses might provide letters, deposition statements or statements in court. They can verify that the person normally does not drink to excess and never drives under the influence. There may have been an influential circumstance that led to the one-time negative behavior, such as a death in the family or a filing for divorce. That doesn’t excuse what happened, but it provides some important context that can result in a more lenient sentence.
The state has certain minimum sentencing requirements for someone who has been convicted of DWI. If the evidence against the person is concrete, a law firm such as Jacobsen, Johnson & Wiezorek PLC puts forth every effort to make sure the client receives that minimum sentence and nothing harsher. Even for a first offense, for example, a judge has the option of sentencing the person up to a full year in jail. However, the mandatory minimum is only 48 hours. The person now has the ability to avoid ever receiving another charge of DWI by never drinking and driving again, which is critical for avoiding much more stringent punishment.
