Waco DWI attorneyIn an instant, your whole future can change for the worst. One minute you are out having a good time - celebrating a birthday, anniversary, special occasion or just enjoying a night out with friends - the next thing you know your car has been towed and you are suddenly a criminal defendant because of a DWI. 

Just as shocking as it was to see the jail door slam shut behind you, a conviction closes other doors. Your license will be taken away for a period of time, so you will have to rely on others to drive you and your family around. Your personal, work and family life have been thrown into turmoil.

One thing is for sure - if you've been arrested for DWI in Waco or McLennan County, or any of the surrounding counties (Bell, Falls, Bosque and Hill Counties) there is no time to waste. You need to contact an experienced Waco DWI attorney immediately. Fortunately, with a highly skilled lawyer on your side, this story’s ending could be better than it’s beginning. 

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Hiring a good DWI attorney versus an excellent one can be the difference between a conviction and winning your case. There are a lot of lawyers out there who claim to be DWI lawyers, but few of them have the special training and experience necessary to successfully defend a DWI case.

Everyone knows they need to hire a good lawyer, but most people don’t know what to look for when hiring a criminal defense lawyer. This is especially important when it comes to hiring a Waco DWI attorney to defend a driving while intoxicated case. Just because a lawyer handles criminal cases, doesn’t mean they have the special training and education necessary to handle this type of case. That’s why Board Certified DWI attorney Walter Reaves has written a free consumer guide to arm you with the truth and to provide you with the information you need prior to speaking to any lawyer about your case.

AVVO Rating for Walter M. ReavesThere are two national online lawyer rating services. Walter Reaves not only has the highest ratings on both of them, but his ratings are also perfect! Mr. Reaves was rated Preeminent 5.0 out of 5.0 AV by Martindale-Hubbell, their highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards. He has also been rated "Superb 10.0 out of 10" by Avvo.com.

Mr. Reaves is one of very few lawyers in the Waco, Texas area who is Board Certified in both Criminal Law and Criminal Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Board certification ensures that a lawyer has experience and competence in a certain area and requires recommendations from both lawyers and the judges they appear before as well as passing a comprehensive exam to demonstrate they have the knowledge required to be considered a specialist.

As a solo practitioner who works daily in courtrooms throughout Central Texas in McLennan, Bell, Hill, Falls and Bosque Counties, Mr. Reaves demonstrates how energetic and Martindale-Hubbell Award for Walter M. Reavesexperienced legal representation can always make a difference in the outcomes of driving offenses and other serious criminal offenses. He has devoted his entire career to representing the citizen accused and brings over 35 years of litigation experience to fight for your legal rights.

The Truth Is, DWI Law Is Complex. An Excellent Waco DWI Attorney Knows The Law And The Science Behind These Types of Charges

The aggressive defense of this type of charge can involve more legal defenses and technical defenses than most serious felony cases, like robbery and murder. The law is constantly changing, and new techniques are consistently being developed to successfully defend DWI cases.

Unfortunately, most lawyers view DWI cases as "routine". They mistakenly believe all they have to do is look at the prosecutor's file, review the video, and negotiate a plea - which is often the standard plea made in every case.

DWI is different from most other cases because not only do you have to know the law, you have to know the science and procedures used for testing. This is not taught in most general continuing education courses for lawyers! You have to seek out special training and work with experts across the country to be a truly effective DWI lawyer.

Criminal defense attorney and author Walter Reaves makes a habit of attending courses on DWI law. He also regularly attends multi-day courses on the science behind these types of prosecutions. Furthermore, the State Bar of Texas trusts him to provide criminal case updates for its general practice section, including DWI cases. He is one of a limited number of attorneys, and the only one in this area, who is a member of the National Academy of Forensic Sciences, which produces cutting-edge scientific information about blood and breath testing.

The Politics of it Means The Odds Are Against You

In any DWI case, the deck is stacked against the defendant. Everyone has seen the different advertising campaigns against "drunk driving", So politicians want to be perceived as "tough on drunk drivers". If they're not, they’re giving their political opponents ammunition to use against them. The result has been that laws concerning driving while intoxicated have become tougher and tougher.

Politicians aren't the only ones who are influenced by public attitudes. No one wants to be seen as soft on drunk drivers, including judges and prosecutors. The greatest fear of both judges and prosecutors is to have someone who was released on a DWI case go out and get involved in an accident causing serious injuries or even death. That means that most of the time, even the most fair-minded judge or prosecutor is going to err on the side of caution, which is to ensure that something bad doesn't happen in the future.

Given the odds, it is extremely important that you hire a Waco DWI attorney with experience, special training, and skill in these types of cases.

Texas Takes These Types of Offenses Extremely Seriously

If your BAC is .08 or above, you can be arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. If you refuse to take a blood or breath test, you will automatically lose your driver's license for 180 days. If you are convicted, punishments vary depending on whether you've had previous offenses. Your lawyer must understand both the science and mechanics of breath testing to ensure that all possible challenges are considered. Blood tests are no different, and even the analyst will admit there is a certain margin of error in the results.

That being said, being convicted of a first offense is a big deal. You could be fined up to $2,000, get anywhere from three to 180 days in jail, lose your license for up to a year, and have to pay an annual fee of $1,000 or $2,000 for three years to keep your driver's license. Additionally, if there was a child under 15 years old in the car at the time you were arrested, you could be charged with child endangerment, which carries a fine of up to $10,000. It could also land you up to two years in a state jail and cause you to lose your driver's license for 180 days.

Contact Specially-Trained And Highly Experienced Waco DWI Attorney Walter Reaves

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If you've been arrested for driving while intoxicated in Waco, McLennan County, or Bell, Falls, Bosque or Hill County, contact the Law Office of Walter Reaves, P.C., at 254-296-0020 for a free consultation with our DWI attorney. Don't wait - the future of you and your family is too important.

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Criminal Defense Attorney Walter Reaves has been practicing law for over 35 years.