What are the penalties for a DWI in Dallas?
The penalties for a DWI vary depending on whether this is your first DWI conviction or not. With no prior DWI convictions, you will face up to six (6) months in the Dallas County Jail, license suspensions, and a fine up to $2,000. In addition, you will face $3,000 in DPS surcharges. A skilled Dallas DWI lawyer will work to avoid the conviction, and if that is not possible, then the focus shifts to avoiding the higher penalty ranges or achieving a lesser charge if possible. If you have prior DWI convictions then the penalties increase substantially, and in some cases, give rise to a felony. For example, a 2nd DWI arrest will be treated as a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in the Dallas County Jail and a fine not to exceed $4,000. However, if you have had two prior DWI convictions then your 3rd arrest will be treated as a felony with the maximum sentence being up to 10 years in a Texas prison and a fine not to exceed $10,000. You will also face DPS surch
