When a Single DWI Conviction Ruins One’s Life

 Posted on April 04, 2021 in Uncategorized

Any honest thought should alert one to the risk that a DWI conviction can make a mess of one's life. Yet when facing a crisis like a DWI charge, many of us cope by unduly minimizing the crisis's seriousness. And so we need a reminder of just how big of a mess a single DWI conviction can make of one's life. The story described below shows that a single DWI can ruin one's life.

Yet, a DWI charge need not destroy all hope. Anyone charged with a DWI has one very good short-term opportunity and a second long-term opportunity to make the best of the DWI charge. The point is not to give up hope. Instead, when charged with a DWI, act promptly, wisely, and earnestly. You can cope well with a DWI charge if you take the right steps.

Making a Mess of One's Life

The unfortunate March 2021 story reports the Brazos County sentencing of a Martindale man to seven years in prison for a DWI conviction and conviction of assault family violence. Seven years in prison is a long time, enough to destroy a reputation, career, finances, friendships, and family relationships. Seven years in prison can mean starting entirely over when one eventually gets out. Seven years in prison can ruin one's life.

One doesn't ordinarily get seven years in prison for a single DWI. And in fact, the story shows that the man's legal circumstances are more complicated than the single DWI and family assault violence for which the court gave the seven-year sentence. Those complicating circumstances allegedly include multiple other charges, convictions, and probation violations, all accumulating into the man's arrest and seven-year sentence. Yet the man's legal problems apparently began with the single DWI charge, snowballing into four years of mounting transgressions.

Defend DWI Charges Aggressively

What does one do to avoid turning a single DWI charge into a life-ruining mess? First, promptly retain expert representation to defend the DWI charge while minimizing its collateral consequences. Often, the bigger question isn't whether the DWI charge will result in a conviction, although beating the charge is important. Instead, the bigger question can involve more-serious collateral consequences like loss of a driver's license, loss of a professional license, loss of a job and career, and the hard impact on family, friends, and finances. Aggressive representation from Texas Board Certified DWI Specialist and national DWI expert Doug Murphy may beat the DWI charge. It may also securely manage and safely avoid each of those potentially harsh collateral consequences.

Work Diligently at Rehabilitation

The second, longer-term thing one can do to minimize the impact of a DWI charge is to work earnestly and diligently at rehabilitating one's physical and mental health, substance addictions or issues, relationship, vocational, and reputational issues, and other pillars of a good life. While we don't know the unfortunate DWI defendant's full story, the above report suggests failures in maintaining sound pillars from which to manage the collateral consequences of a DWI charge. One can often weather a crisis, even a serious DWI charge, if one keeps the rest of one's figurative house in order.

Work with the Best DWI Attorney

Remember: anyone charged with a DWI has one very good short-term opportunity, which is to defend and beat the charge, and a second longer-term opportunity, which is to work diligently at rehabilitation. Hiring the best available DWI attorney makes sense for both the short term and long term. 2021 Houston DWI Lawyer of the Year Doug Murphy knows how to defend and defeat DWI charges while ensuring that clients have the best opportunity to preserve the best features of their life. Attorney Murphy is one of only two Texas lawyers holding both DWI Board Certification and Criminal Law Certification. Contact Murphy & McKinney Law Firm, P.C. online or at 713-229-8333 to discuss your case today.