Houston DWI/DUI Lawyer
Hire an Experienced Houston DWI Defense Lawyer
Today, the stakes are much higher in drunk driving cases than they were in the past. In addition to consequences you face in criminal court, you also face the suspension of your driver's license along with substantial financial administrative penalties if you are convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI) or even put on probation for drinking and driving.
I am R. Todd Bennett a Houston criminal defense attorney. I am Board-Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, I have been recognized with an AV-Preeminent rating* under Martindale Hubbell's peer review rating system, and I have been recognized with a listing in Best Lawyers in America**.
Effective Defense Against DWI Penalties and License Suspension
A drunk driving conviction can result in harsh DWI/DUI penalties. If you have been wrongly accused of driving while intoxicated (DWI) or any other alcohol related charge in Texas, I will defend you both in your criminal case and in your driver's license suspension hearing (ALR) with the DPS. You have only 15 days to request a hearing to contest the suspension of your driver's license, so it is important to contact a DWI/DUI lawyer as soon as possible after your arrest.
Defenses in Drunk Driving Cases
If you have been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), intoxicated assault, intoxicated manslaughter or any other alcohol-related offense, think long and hard before you give up without a fight and plead guilty. All people are presumed innocent, and the prosecutor has the burden of proving the accused guilty of DWI/DUI beyond a reasonable doubt.
To convict you of driving while intoxicated (DWI), the prosecutor must show that you operated a motor vehicle in a public place while intoxicated. Setting aside the legal issues for a moment, often the factual issue in disputing a driving while intoxicated (DWI) case is whether you were actually intoxicated as defined by the law at the time you were driving.
Under Texas DWI law, "intoxicated" is defined as having lost the normal use of your mental or physical faculties by reason of the introduction of alcohol or a drug into your body, or that you had a BAC of .08 or more from a blood or breath test. To sustain a conviction for driving while intoxicated (DWI), the prosecutor has the burden of proving this beyond a reasonable doubt.
Just because a police officer has the opinion that you were driving while intoxicated (DWI) does not necessarily make it so. Just because a Breathalyzer test shows a BAC of .08 an hour after you were pulled over does not mean that you were intoxicated at the time you were driving.
What I Can Do for You
Before starting the law firm of R. Todd Bennett, P.C., I was an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County, Texas. That is where I cut my teeth and began to learn how to try DWI/DUI cases. While a prosecutor, I tried many test and no-test cases. I learned about proper police procedure and mistakes that the police make when arresting people for driving while intoxicated (DWI). I am well prepared to defend you if you are charged with DWI in Texas.
Free Consultation With a Houston ∙ Missouri City Drunk Driving Attorney
If you would like to discuss your case with me, contact me, Houston criminal defense lawyer R. Todd Bennett, for a free initial consultation.
*AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories — legal ability and general ethical standards.
** Best Lawyers in America is one of the most respected peer review publications in the legal profession.
