DWI/DUI Charges

New York DWI/DUI Defense Attorneys

As DWI/DUI laws in the state of New York continue to become stricter, so do the accompanying penalties. (see New York DWI/DUI Law Changes). When facing DUI, DWI, DWI Drugs, or DWAI charges, it is important to hire an experienced defense lawyer as quickly as possible as they can help you keep your car and retain minimal driving privileges. At Mangialardi & Berardino in Hartsdale, New York, we believe in aggressively defending our clients’ rights and freedom. As seasoned DWI/DUI lawyers, we will use every available legal option to obtain the best possible outcome in your case.

What can I expect if I am arrested for DWI/DUI/DWI Drugs/DWAI?

If you face driving under the influence charges in the state of New York, you must deal with three major issues which could have a significant impact upon your life:

• The Criminal Charge: This carries a potentially severe fine, a term of probation, or even the prospect of jail time
• The License Revocation: At your arraignment, in most instances, the judge will immediately suspend your driver's license or your privilege to drive in the state of New York. We can challenge this immediate suspension in an administrative hearing and seek to obtain a hardship license for you. If granted, this hardship license will afford you the limited ability to drive, despite the court's overall suspension of your license or driving privileges during the pendency of your case.
• Forfeiture of Your Vehicle: If you are the title owner of the car you were driving, you face the likely prospect of the police seizing your vehicle as the "instrumentality of a crime" in a civil forfeiture proceeding. Vehicle forfeiture as a result of a DUI arrest is very common in New York City.

In most instances, when you are brought to court for your arraignment following your DUI arrest, you will lose your driver's license during the pendency of your case. Whether you are allowed to retain minimal driving privileges in the state of New York while your case progresses often depends upon what happens in the first meeting with the judge. We, as experienced DWI lawyers, know what evidence needs to be presented in order for you to obtain a hardship license or out-of-state driving privileges during the pendency of your case.

Drunk-driving charges can be successfully challenged. At some time during the DUI arrest process, your rights may have been violated. The officer apprehending you may not have had probable cause to stop your vehicle, or the breathalyzer test may have given an inaccurate blood alcohol content (BAC) reading due to improper administration, maintenance, or calibration.

If you have been charged with a DWI, DUI, DWI Drugs, or DWAI in the New York City area, contact Mangialardi & Berardino, as soon as possible, at 914-686-1041 or 212-983-5677. We believe in defending your rights and your freedom.

Learn More:

DWI/DUI Law Changes in New York

Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction