Short answer: unlikely for most people. Longer answer: it depends on how serious your first DWI is and where in Minnesota your DWI occurred. Most first time MN DWI offenses are 4th Degree DWIs. This is the least severe DWI for first-time offenders who have an alcohol concentration level below .16. It also is the…
In Minnesota, DWI and DUI are basically synonymous terms. DWI stands for Driving While Impaired. DUI means Driving Under the Influence. Some states use DUI, others DWI, and some OWI. They all basically mean the same thing – that someone was driving while under the influence or while impaired. Minnesota uses the term DWI –…
Yes. It is worth getting a lawyer for a DUI in Minnesota. Of course, you expect that to be an answer from a private law firm practicing criminal defense. But, a DUI lawyer who knows the nuances of DUI laws can add a level of knowledge that you otherwise may not have. Further, being charged…
When evaluating whether you can beat your DWI case in Minnesota, a common first analysis is to look at how you came in contact with the police. Often, DWI cases start with a traffic stop. Others may begin with the vehicle already at a place of rest. In either scenario, you will want to review…
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) in Minnesota operates under the same DWI laws for alcohol related DWIs in Minnesota. DWI charges can arise from being under the influence of a controlled substance, under the influence of an intoxicating substance, a combination of those two or with alcohol, and if any amount of a…
Not every DWI in Minnesota requires the driver to get on the ignition interlock program to obtain their driver’s license. For instance, if someone has no prior DWIs in their past and their alcohol concentration level measures under .16, then they do not need ignition interlock. Instead, they can obtain a limited license (a.k.a. work…
Eight years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States decided a prominent DWI case that had repercussions on DWI laws across the country, including Minnesota. That case was Missouri v. McNeely. That case determined that a nonconsensual warrantless blood test violates a person’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches. In its…
Upon arrest for a DWI, the worry is not only about what might happen in the criminal case, but also about how long you will lose your driver’s license for a DWI in Minnesota. The main factors influencing the length are whether you took a breath, blood, or urine test, the alcohol level of that…
A common question we get is: how can you get a DWI if you were not even driving your vehicle? These scenarios often arise when someone is sleeping in their vehicle, they are walking somewhere near the vicinity of their car, or they are stuck on the side of the road. For some of those…
Law enforcement officers across the country are trained on how to spot drivers who may be under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. Overwhelmingly, the first observations by those officers are when they see someone driving. We recently covered the 24 driving cues of DUI detection published by the National Highway Traffic Safety…
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