Do I really need to hire a criminal attorney?

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Assault, DWI, theft, weapons charges? Do I really need to hire a criminal defense attorney to defend me or can I defend myself?

You do not have to hire a criminal attorney to defend you if you have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony — the better question is should you?  The bottom line is yes, you really should.  Sometimes, even when faced with a minor crime such as a traffic violation (class C misdemeanor) – the most important thing you need to consider is do you want this charge on your permanent record?

In today’s competitive job market it is difficult, to say the least, to secure employment even if you have a sterling reputation.  Almost all potential employers will tell you that even if you are lucky enough to make it as a candidate for the job, just one negative item on your background check can and most likely will eliminate you from being considered for the job.

If that is the case for just a class C misdemeanor, consider what implications a DWI or a felony charge will have on your record.  Every employer considers factors such as ethics and liability when hiring a new employee.  They may not be able to obtain insurance for you if you have a DWI or other charges on your record.  If an employer is ever sued and the complainant presents that an employee has a criminal record, it can result in the case being lost (even if the case is based on trumped-up allegations)  All of these factors will weigh against you during the hiring process, making your chances of obtaining a good job very slim.

So think carefully before you walk into a courtroom and face the judge alone.  Criminal defense attorneys that have been in business for a long time, such as Mark Morales & Associates, are in and out of these courtrooms daily.  They know the law, they know the process and they know how to win your case…. Do you?

You can call and get a completely free consultation before you make a decision that will effect the rest of your life.  You can also call and find out how to have a criminal charge removed (expunged) from your record if you or another attorney were unable to prove your innocence in a court of law.

 

Minor in Possession – Consumption

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My son was charged with Minor in Consumption-Minor in Possession, what does this mean?  What is going to happen to him?

MINOR IN CONSUMPTION

A minor (in alcohol related offenses, a person under the age of 21, the legal drinking age) can be charged with a Minor in Consumption charge for simply consuming an alcoholic beverage.  An officer does not have to actually see him drink the alcoholic beverage but may make the determination to charge him with the offense if he smells alcohol on him or if he agrees to take a breath test and blows a number indicative of alcohol consumption.  Mere possession of alcohol is not sufficient to warrant him being charged with Minor in Consumption.  An affirmative defense does exist if he consumed the alcohol in the visible presence of his adult parent, guardian or spouse.

MINOR IN POSSESSION

Just as it is illegal for a minor to purchase alcohol, it is also a crime for a minor to be found in possession of alcohol.  Possession of alcohol for this charge can be considered in various ways.  If he is found holding a beer can/bottle, whether it is empty or full he can be charged with Minor in Possession.  He could also be found in possession at a party where this is alcohol present even if he is not physically holding any alcohol.  He may be at risk of being charged with Minor in Possession whenever he is at a party, nightclub, or in a vehicle where is alcohol is present.  However, if he was is in the visible presence of his adult parent, guardian or spouse he may not be charged with Minor in Possession.  Additionally, he may not be charged with Minor in Possession if he was in possession of the alcohol in the course and scope of his legal employment.

CONSEQUENCES

Minor in Consumption and Minor in Possession are both Class C misdemeanors, the same level as a speeding ticket.  These charges along with the other alcohol related offenses of the Purchase of Alcohol by a Minor or the Attempted Purchase of Alcohol by a Minor can result in various ranges of punishment depending on if this was the first time he was charged with an alcohol related offense.  Frequently, a court will allow a minor to be placed on deferred disposition which allows the case to be dismissed once certain requirements have been fulfilled.

If this was the first time the minor was charged with an alcohol related offense and placed on deferred disposition, the judge may order the minor’s driver’s license to be suspended for 30 days or if he does not yet have his license issue an order to deny the issuance of one for 30 days; up to a $500 fine; 8 to 12 hours of community service; and mandatory attendance of alcohol-awareness classes.

If this isn’t his first time being convicted of an alcohol related offense then the judge may order he be fined between $250 and $2,000; 20 to 40 hours of community service, and can be sentenced to up to 180 days in jail.  The judge may also suspend the license for 60 days if this is not the first alcohol related offense but 180 days if the minor has been previously convicted twice or more of an alcohol related offense. The judge may further impose the attendance of an alcohol awareness class.  Unfortunately, if a minor has been convicted twice or more for an alcohol offense, he is not eligible for deferred disposition and thus not eligible for a dismissal of his case through this method.

If the minor is under the age of 18, the court may also require the parents of the minor attend the class as well.  If he doesn’t complete the conditions set out by the judge within the allotted time, then his license may be suspended up to six months or denied issuance of a license or permit for six months if he has not yet been issued one.

Some people may not consider these types of cases as serious charges since they are only Class C misdemeanors but we think otherwise.  We understand that an alcohol related offense on your child’s record could impact their chances of getting into college or even being hired for certain jobs.  As criminal defense attorneys who have handled a wide range of cases, and several MIP and MIC charges, we will fight our hardest to achieve the best results possible for your child’s case.

Visit us on Facebook and contact us for a free consultation at any of our Texas locations, Georgetown, Austin, San Marcos and McKinney.

 

Texas Statewide No-Refusal Weekend – first of its kind in the nation ever!

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Everyone loves the Fourth of July.  It has become the unofficial celebration of summer as people across the United States enjoy the very essence of independence and freedom.  Everywhere you go you see families’ barbequing, neighborhood block parties and friends hanging out wherever it’s cool – lakes, pools, rivers, beaches – everyone enjoying a good time just waiting for the sun to go down and the fireworks to start. Unfortunately, the days following the Fourth of July, many of those same people reunite at hospitals, police stations, attorney offices – and even more unfortunate, funerals.

Last year in Texas alone, officers responded to 337,000 crashes over the Fourth of July weekend.  In 2009, the “no refusal holiday program” was created to enforce Texas DWI laws in order to help lower alcohol related accidents.  The program allows law enforcement and prosecutors to designate a holiday weekend, such as New Year’s Eve, Halloween, or Super Bowl weekend, where law enforcement officers can stop a driver for DWI suspicion and take a blood sample to test for Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).  According to a press release Tuesday in Austin regarding the statewide program— “drivers also can be arrested with a BAC below 0.08 when a law enforcement officer has probable cause, based on the driver’s behavior, to believe the driver has lost the normal use of mental or physical faculties due to the introduction of alcohol or any substance into his or her body.”  Along with extra patrol on the road, there will also be additional enforcement on the water all across the state enforcing no refusal.  So not only are you at risk drinking and driving, but drinking and boating as well.

The concept of this program is simple – you cannot refuse.  If you are stopped for a busted tail-light, not using your blinker, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding or any other minor traffic violation and the officer suspects that you are intoxicated you will be required to have your blood drawn or take a breathalyzer test .  During “No Refusal Weekends,” judges are on standby to sign a warrant permitting the police to take a blood sample after a suspected driver refuses to submit to a breath or blood test.  Basically, if you drive on a “No Refusal Weekend,” and an officer suspects you have been drinking, he can obtain a sample of your blood to test for BAC whether you like it or not.

You might wonder how law enforcement is able to do this without violating your rights.  When you obtain a Texas driver’s license, you have implicitly consented to provide a sample of breath or blood when it is requested by law enforcement agents during a DWI arrest but you may refuse until the law enforcement agent obtains a valid search warrant.  Under normal circumstances, an officer has to wait for a warrant to obtain a sample of your blood and judges are not always readily available… unlike “No-Refusal Weekends” when judges are standing by to issue these warrants at a moment’s notice.

The best thing you can do if you have been drinking during a “No Refusal Weekend” is to call a cab or have a designated driver.   If you have any questions about your arrest or rights after a DWI, DUI, BWI or any other alcohol related offense in Texas please join us on Facebook or post a comment anywhere on this blog and an experienced Texas attorney will be happy to assist you.

KEY MESSAGES:

• During the July 4th holiday, alcohol is a major factor in fatal crashes.
• Motor vehicle traffic crashes killed 410 people during the Fourth of July holiday period in 2009.  Of that number, 40 percent involved drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.
• Alcohol-impaired-driving crashes killed 10,839 people in 2009, accounting for 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.  That’s an average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality every 48 minutes.
• Beware: the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 was four times higher at night than during the day.

Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.

• This summer don’t let your 4th of July end in an arrest—or even worse, death. Make smart decisions. Plan ahead so you can ensure a safe way home.
• Cops are cracking down, and there will be no second chances.  If you are caught driving with a BAC of .08 or higher, you will be arrested.
• Remember, don’t ever get behind the wheel of a vehicle when you are impaired, and don’t ride with a driver who has been drinking.
• Whether way too many or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk. Drunk driving creates serious consequences.
• Alcohol impairs many of the skills that safe driving requires, including judgment, concentration, comprehension, coordination, visual acuity and reaction time.
• Driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. Yet too many people still ignore the law. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, more than 1.44 million people were arrested for driving under the influence during 2009.
• The tragedies and costs from drinking and driving impaired do not just end at the potential death, disfigurement, disability and injury caused by impaired drivers.
• People who break the law often face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses from attorney fees, fines and court costs, car towing and repairs, lost time at work, etc.
• Driving impaired or riding with someone who is impaired is not worth the risk. The consequences are serious and real. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be really significant and not the way you want to celebrate the July 4th holiday.

Remember: Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.
(information provided by Traffic Safety Marketing
a program sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

 

This is the guy that refused….

 

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol by Minor

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My son was charged with Driving under the Influence?  What does this mean?  What do I need to know? 

Texas law states that a minor (under the age of 21) commits an offense of a DUI (a Class C misdemeanor) if he operates a motor vehicle in a public place while having any detectable amount of alcohol in the minor’s system.  This is a much lower standard than is required to arrest a person for a DWI.  A detectable amount means that a minor does not have to have a Blood Alcohol Content level of .08 or higher like with a DWI, but can be arrested for simply the smell of alcohol on his breath.

More than likely your son was either issued a citation — along with a notice of license suspension for this charge or he may have been arrested; both are permissible by law.  During the initial traffic stop, after the officer determines that the person they are investigating is in fact a minor, he may issue a citation for a less serious offense or decide to conduct field sobriety tests if he has reasonable suspicion to believe the minor was severely impaired.  If the officer arrests him for not satisfactorily completing the field sobriety tests, he may also request a breath or blood specimen to test his blood alcohol content.  When your son was charged with DUI, his license will be suspended.  The suspension is the same administrative license revocation (ALR) process that is used in DWI cases.  There is a 15 day period to request a hearing after being issued a citation or being arrested for a DUI to contest the license suspension.

If this was the first time the minor was stopped for drinking and driving, the judge may order:

•  a 60 day driver’s license suspension;
• up to a $500 fine;
• 20 to 40 hours of community service;
• and/or mandatory attendance of alcohol-awareness classes.

If he doesn’t complete the conditions set out by the judge within the allotted time, then his license may be suspended for up to six months.

If this isn’t the minor’s first time being convicted of a DUI then the judge may order:

•  A fine between $500 and $2,000;
• 40 to 60 hours of community service,
• and a sentence of  up to 180 days in jail.

If your son is under the age of 18, the court may require you or another parent/guardian be present with your son at every court appearance. The court may also require you attend the alcohol-awareness class with your son.   However, the court may allow an attorney to appear on your son’s behalf at the court appearances.

Just because he is under the age of 21 does not mean he will automatically be charged with a DUI rather than a DWI. An officer may arrest a minor for the more serious offense of DWI if the circumstances warrant such a charge.

If the minor had a BAC of .08 or greater he could be punished with the same penalties that apply to a DWI:

• a $2,000 fine,
• 72 hours to 180 days in jail,
• and a driver’s license suspension of 90 days to one year.

Having your son or daughter arrested or issued a citation for a DWI or DUI can be very stressful and nerve racking for you as a parent.  You need to find a reputable attorney that will fight hard to have your child’s case dismissed and will fight as if it were for their own child.