The
consequences can ruin your finances, your
career, even your relationships with friends and
loved ones. The good news is that by coming to
this web site, you’ve taken an important step in
helping yourself.
At
Bowne Barry & Barry, a significant portion of
our practice is devoted to fighting for people
charged with DWI in New Jersey. We spend
hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars each
year staying current on new DWI cases and
statutes, developments in the science and
technology relating to the enforcement of DWI
laws and attending seminars relating to this
field. We do so because this type of preparation
and knowledge is often the difference between
winning and losing. We do so because our clients
deserve no less.
This
site contains a number of articles we’ve written
and links to other resources that may help
inform you as to what you’re up against and what
you’re options are regarding your New Jersey DWI
charge.
If
you think you might like our help, please call
for a free telephone consultation or send us an
e-mail. Our telephone
number is (732) 238-8686, and we practice
throughout New Jersey. Visa and MasterCard are
accepted.
Anatomy
of a DWI Charge
Here’s the scenario: you’ve been arrested for
DWI. You’ve never been arrested before in your
life. You’re embarrassed, upset and worried
about what’s going to happen to you.
Let
me help you with the last of these concerns.
Presented below are seven different “stages”
that a New Jersey DWI case can involve, from
start to finish. Please bear in mind that each
case is different and can proceed differently
from this general guide. Read More...
DWI
Penalties and Costs
Let me start with the conclusion: even a first
DWI conviction will cost you a lot. A fairly
typical cost for just pleading guilty, without
an attorney, is $3,685. Add to this another
$3,000 in what your insurance company will
surcharge you over the next several years and
your increased insurance costs thereafter.
You’re up to $6,685, and probably a good deal
more. Then add in other very real “costs” you
might encounter: the possibility of jail time,
time spent away from work attending the
Court-ordered Intoxicated Driver’s Resource
Center, the difficulty of getting to and from
work without a driver’s license, the strain on
your marriage and other relationships, the
impact on your job, your reputation, etc.
Read
More...
HOPE FOR
FIRST TIME OFFENDERS
If this is your first offense, you
may be able to take advantage of a
New Jersey program for first time
offenders called Pre-Trial
Intervention or PTI. If admitted to
the PTI program and you successfully
complete it, the charges against you
will be dismissed. PTI typically
includes a term of probation, and
sometimes counseling and/or
community service.
If you have been charged with a
first time drug offense that is
being heard in Municipal Court, you
may be eligible for Conditional
Discharge. If accepted for
conditional discharge, you will need
to essentially be on probation,
perhaps with the same kinds of terms
involved in PTI. Upon successful
completion of the program, the
charges against you (which also
involve the loss of your driver’s
license) are dismissed.
These are both very significant
options for first time offenders. If
you would like to discuss their
availability in more detail, please
call us at (732) 238-8686.
The A to Z Guide
to New Jersey DWI Law
DWI is a complex field, and is becoming
more so with each passing year. I’ve
attempted to answer frequently asked
questions about New Jersey DWI Law in an
alphabetically arranged manner. This
should be a starting place for your
research on New Jersey DWI law, not a
stopping place. The law is constantly
changing and each case has unique facts
that might be very important to its
outcome. This is why I strongly suggest
that you consult with an experienced New
Jersey DWI attorney. If you’d like to
speak to me about your situation,
without cost or obligation, please call
me at (732) 238-8686.
Read More...
WHY SHOULD I
RETAIN YOU?
The first question you need to
answer is “should I retain a
lawyer?” The truth is that no one is
going to make you do so. Many people
simply give up and plead guilty
–either because they aren’t aware of
the enormous direct and indirect
costs of a DWI or they’ve been told
that it’s hopeless.
Read
More...
DWI
INFORMATION CENTER
