Drunk Driving Defense Attorneys in New Hampshire

New Hampshire DUI Defense

The charge of “Driving While Intoxicated”, otherwise known as “Driving Under the Influence” (DUI) or Operating Under the Influence (OUI) affects a large number of individuals each year. Statistics reveal that nearly 1.5 million Americans were arrested for DUI/DWI in 2006 in New Hampshire. A drunk driving offense is a serious criminal matter. A DUI/DWI conviction will result in significant fines, extended periods of license loss, alcohol programs and possible jail time.

If you have been charged with DUI or DWI in New Hampshire, you now face two battles. First, you must deal with a criminal prosecution in State Court. Second, the civil Administrative License Suspension from the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles must also be challenged. In both cases, you will have to fight to retain your license. New Hampshire does not offer a restricted license or a so called “Cinderella” license that allows you to drive back and forth to work. Once your New Hampshire license or driving privileges have been suspended or revoked, you will not be able to drive in the State of New Hampshire.

A DWI case can involve many complicated legal and factual issues. A skilled New Hampshire DWI defense attorney will examine whether the police had a proper reason to initiate the motor vehicle stop, whether standardized field sobriety tests were properly administered and scored, whether the police had a legal basis to arrest you for DUI/DWI, and whether the officer properly advised you of your rights before submitting to a breath or blood test, among other issues.

A DUI or DWI conviction in New Hampshire will result in significant penalties and collateral consequences. A first offense DUI conviction requires a minimum ninety (90) day actual loss of license and a maximum two (2) year loss of license; a fine between $500 and $1,200, plus a 24% penalty assessment; and a twenty (20) hour Impaired Driver Intervention Program at a cost of approximately $600. If the driver convicted of DWI was under the age of twenty-one (21), the minimum period of license loss is one (1) year. In addition to the Court imposed penalties for a DWI 1st offense, there are significant collateral consequences. DWI convictions can trigger a number of additional consequences, which may include loss of insurance, high insurance rates, an Ignition Interlock Device, loss of a job, loss of future employment options, loss of student aid, and the loss of a professional license.