Need information and help with a Minnesota DWI?

An experienced Minnesota DUI/DWI Lawyer can make a huge difference for you

Whether you were arrested in Minneapolis, St. Paul or anywhere else in Minnesota for DWI, Minnesota DWI law applies to your case and is strictly enforced. You are most likely afraid of going to jail, of losing your license, of having to have an interlock device. You are scared about your future, your job and your family's security. Most of all, it just feels terrible to be charged with a crime. You have every right to feel the way you do, and this allegation could cause you great strain and hardship now, and even affect the rest of your life.

 

If you or someone you know has been charged with a crime the most important decision you make is which lawyer you hire. Minnesota DWI laws are enforced differently from county to county. For that reason, it is important to consult with a MN DWI lawyer who practices in the county of your arrest.

Minnesota DWI Facts

  • In 2008, there were 35,736 motorists arrested for a Minnesota DWI.
  • 1 out of every 8 drivers in Minnesota has been arrested for DWI at some point.


About 1/2 of all Minnesota DWI arrests happen in the Twin Cities area. In fact, 49.8 percent of all MN DWI arrests in 2008 happened in the Twin Cities Metro area, and the other 80 counties had 50.2 percent of the arrests. The counties with the most arrests are:

 

All other Minnesota Counties had fewer than 1,000 DWI arrests in 2008. Traverse County had the fewest, at 14 total arrests.



Minnesota DWI PenaltiesMinnesota DWI Penalties: The punishments for driving while impaired in Minnesota are severe. The right lawyer can make the difference between a long jail stay and a short one.

Also included under the MN DWI punishment statute are heavy fines, alcohol classes, license restrictions and suspensions and ignition interlock devices.

There is simply too much at stake in the average Minnesota drunk driving case. You need the help of an experienced attorney who focuses on DWI and criminal defense in the area where you were arrested.


Don't go to court without an experienced MN DWI lawyer who concentrates on cases like yours

Minnesota DWI ProcessMinnesota Court Process: Navigating the criminal process can be disorienting and scary for even the smallest of things. In DWI cases it is especially so because, in Minnesota, drunk driving is considered a very serious crime. Because of the high numbers of charges issued throughout the state, courts and prosecutors must work quickly to process all of the cases. DWI is truly a charge that people from all walks of life and backgrounds can get, and so the first time offender who made a one-time mistake finds him or herself treated exactly the same as a career criminal. Because the system necessitates this type of "cookie cutter" justice, you need an excellent attorney to set your case apart from the others in the eyes of judges and prosecutors.

When it's your turn in court, won't you feel better knowing that you have a well-respected advocate voicing your side of the story and forcing the judges and prosecutors to see you as a human being rather than just another file and case number. A good lawyer can help you or your loved one get released from jail, and walk them through the court process from Arraignment through Trial if necessary. A good Minnesota drunk driving defense lawyer can also discover weaknesses in the State's case, and highlight your case's strengths and your personal character in order to secure a good plea bargain for you.

In addition to the criminal court proceedings that will determine your guilt or innocence and either brand you as a criminal or exonerate you, you also need an experienced Minnesota DWI attorney to help you navigate the driver's license issues in your MN DWI case. If you think the court system is crowded and impersonal, try dealing with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services. You need a lawyer who frequently handles MN DWI suspension issues, and who knows every inch of the system so you won't get caught in an unexpected pitfall. This includes an expert level understanding of Minnesota Implied Consent Laws, and the Administrative Review Hearing process.

 


The Minnesota DWI case against you may not be as strong as it first appears

Do you think you are guilty? Some people arrested for DWI genuinely believe they are, but that doesn't necessarily make it so. Even if you are technically guilty or probably guilty, it is up to the State to prove the case against you beyond a reasonable doubt. Sometimes it is difficult or impossible for the prosecutors to do this because of missing, incomplete or improperly obtained evidence and information.

The smallest detail in your case can make the difference between you being a DWI convict and walking away with a lesson learned but no serious harm done to your record and your life. It is very important to make sure that you hire a Minnesota DWI attorney who not only knows how to fight for you in court, but who also understands the importance of a good investigation right from the start. If there is something wrong with the chemical test process used in your case, a good lawyer will find that out long before your case goes to trial. Prosecutors don't like difficult cases that they might lose. If your lawyer finds something that might make the prosecutor's job and life more difficult, you are likely to receive a much more favorable result, regardless of whether you are actually guilty or not.

A good Minnesota DUI lawyer will know the most current issues. For example, your lawyer should know exactly what is going on in the Minnesota DWI source code battle, should know when a crime lab has been deemed contaminated, and should especially know all the weaknesses and dirt on the local DWI officers who frequently arrest people for DWI.

There are so many small details that can make the difference between a conviction and acquittal, or between pleading guilty as charged and getting the charges reduced or dismissed. Without an excellent lawyer working for your best interests, it is highly probable that if there is something there, it will be missed.

Don't wait for evidence to be destroyed or your valuable rights, which are in many cases time-sensitive, to expire. Make sure you learn about MN DWI law and process so you understand the vocabulary, and above all else, make sure you at least consult with a highly qualified Minnesota DWI Lawyer before making any important decisions in your case.

 

To get started, select the MN county where you were arrested:

Aitkin Freeborn McLeod Roseau
Anoka Goodhue Meeker Scott
Becker Grant Mille Lacs Sherburne
Beltrami Hennepin Morrison Sibley
Benton Houston Mower St. Louis
Big Stone Hubbard Murray Stearns
Blue Earth Isanti Nicollet Steele
Brown Itasca Nobles Stevens
Carlton Jackson Norman Swift
Carver Kanabec Olmsted Todd
Cass Kandiyohi Otter Tail Traverse
Chippewa Kittson Pennington Wabasha
Chisago Koochiching Pine Wadena
Clay Lac qui Parle Pipestone Waseca
Clearwater Lake Polk Washington
Cook Lake of the Woods Pope Watonwan
Cottonwood Le Sueur Ramsey Wilkin
Crow Wing Lincoln Red Lake Winona
Dakota Lyon Redwood Wright
Dodge Mahnomen Renville Yellow Medicine
Douglas Marshall Rice
Faribault Martin Rock

 

Locate a Local
Minnesota DWI Lawyer

 

 

This website exists to provide the public information about Minnesota DWI law and process, and to help people in need of legal representation connect with a local lawyer for their case. Regardless of whether you are accused of DWI in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul, or in other areas such as Rochester, Edina, Eagan, Chaska, Bloomington, Burnsville or anywhere else in the state, it is important that you educate yourself about the MN DWI process so you can make the best decision of which attorney to choose for your criminal DWI case that could impact your future.

 


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