If you have been arrested for DWI for the first time, you may be wondering what the penalties are. I am going to detail some of the required conditions that the judge must impose if you are convicted. The Louisiana legislature has made a law that requires judges to order these conditions if you are placed on probation. Keep in mind, this is not applied to every defendant the same way. DWI cases are not like a speeding ticket where you can just call the court and ask how much to pay. If the judge doesn’t like what he sees in your case, he can increase the conditions of probation or even put you in jail for six months. Also, just because you’ve been arrested for DWI doesn’t mean you have to march into court and plead guilty right away. There may be other options.

Penalties for First-Offense DWI

• Fine: $300-1000
• License suspended by the DMV for 1 year
• Jail: 10 days – 6 months. The judge can suspend the jail time and placed the defendant on probation and order that he complete the following:           
  • 48 hours in jail unless he performs 32 hours of community service including 16 of which must be litter abatement
  • Substance abuse program, and
  • Driver improvement program
  • The judge could order that the defendant install the ignition interlock device
• If the defendant blew .15-.199, the court must order the defendant to serve 48 hours in jail.
• If the defendant blew .20 or higher, the court must order the defendant to serve 48 hours in jail and the fine is $750-1000.
  • Also, the defendant will be required to have the ignition interlock for 2 years.

Possible Additional Conditions

The DWI penalties mentioned above are only the basic mandatory conditions of probation in Louisiana. The judge can also order additional penalties in his discretion. For instance, the judge could require that you attend a MADD victim impact panel, perform additional community service, serve additional jail time, pay restitution, pay court costs, pay supervision fees, and more. Some judges can get quite creative about their requirements by even ordering that the defendant write letters of apology or speak at a local school to kids about your experience in the criminal justice system.

Lawyer for First-Offense DWI

If this is your first time being arrested in Louisiana, you may be scared and unsure about what to do. I have been representing clients charged with DWI first offense in Louisiana for over 17 years. I know how to help you get through this DWI arrest so your record will be protected.  You may be wondering if you will go to jail and lose your driver’s license. You may be wondering how much the DWI is going to cost you.  I can certainly answer all these questions for you which will ease your mind and help you sleep. Since it is a lot of information, contact me at 225-964-6720 to discuss your case.