If you’re facing a first-time DWI conviction, jail time isn’t a likely outcome—at least not with a good lawyer. Time behind bars is more than spending time away from your loved ones; it could mean threats to your safety, mental health, and future. You don’t want to leave any aspect of your well-being to chance. Instead, you should entrust your case to Blass Law.
A Houston DWI lawyer from our firm can seek a dismissal or an acquittal–depending on what best suits your situation. Our founder, Attorney Jay Blass Cohen, has secured “not guilty” verdicts for DWI cases that other lawyers wouldn’t manage. Today, you can learn more about partnering with our team and what that could mean for you.
Get help from a Houston first-offense DWI lawyer now.
Why Hire a Houston First-Offense DWI Attorney?
When a Houston criminal defense lawyer takes your case, they will:
- Look into the circumstances of your arrest: Jay could get your case dismissed if there were legal issues with your arrest. For example, if the officer didn’t actually have probable cause for the traffic stop, or if you were coerced by an officer to admit to a crime you didn’t commit, this would be inadmissible as evidence in court.
- Seek out evidence in your favor: Supporting evidence could come from a variety of sources, like surveillance or the arresting officer’s body camera. Other evidence could include eyewitness testimony, the results of a blood or breath test, and the arrest report.
- Scrutinize the evidence against you: The prosecutor will have evidence they believe indicates you committed a crime. We can weigh the value of this information, discredit it, and gather supporting evidence of our own.
- Strategize your case: A particular strategy or even multiple strategies could benefit your case. One potential strategy could include asserting that the Breathalyzer gave inaccurate readings–or a blood test wasn’t analyzed correctly.
- Represent you at trial: With Blass Law, you won’t have to trust your case to an inexperienced attorney. Your lawyer will present your case to the jury, argue your side of the story, and fight for your freedom.
- Ensure a fair trial: You deserve fair treatment. The prosecutor can’t coerce you into giving certain information, and they must adhere to proper courtroom procedure.
- Negotiate, if necessary: A “not guilty” verdict might not be possible. Still, you have options. For instance, we may argue to have your DWI charge reduced. This could result in fewer penalties.
There’s no case too complicated for Attorney Jay Blass Cohen and his firm. When you entrust us with your future, our Houston criminal defense lawyers fight tooth and nail for the best possible outcome. You don’t have to feel uncertain about your next steps any longer. We’re standing by to learn your story.
Our Houston First-Offense DWI Lawyer Is Uniquely Qualified to Manage Your Case
Houston DWI attorney Jay Blass Cohen has over 14 years of experience defending accused people. Unlike some other defense attorneys, he has never been a criminal prosecutor who worked to convict the accused, so you can trust him to work in your favor. He’s always been on your side.
With his credentials, Jay is uniquely qualified to work for you. These credentials include:
- Certification in forensic chromatography for alcohol and drugs
- Certification as an ACS-CHAL forensic attorney-scientist
- Membership in the National College for DUI Defense
- Membership in the DUI Defense Lawyers Association
- Membership in the Houston Bar Association
- Membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association
- Membership in the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
- Membership in the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
These credentials, coupled with his tenacity and dedication to the people of Houston, make Attorney Jay Blass Cohen a force to be reckoned with. Some prosecutors even back down when they see he’s managing a case. With our firm’s support, we’re confident in our ability to handle your case and advocate for a fair outcome.
Our Law Firm Has a History of Success in DWI Cases
Blass Law is committed to Keeping Innocent People Innocent®. Take a look at some of our case results:
- Our client caused a collision and later failed two sobriety tests. After building his defense, we secured a “not guilty” verdict in Harris County court.
- The police found our client obstructing a roadway, asleep in his motor vehicle. A blood test showed our client was on multiple substances, including narcotics. The jury found him not guilty.
- The police pulled our client over because he was driving with only one headlight. Then, he admitted to being intoxicated. Even though he refused field sobriety tests and already had a previous conviction for a DWI, with our firm’s help, our client walked away a free man.
- Our client, who was found asleep in a moving lane of traffic, blew a .242 and failed all sobriety tests. We obtained a “not guilty” verdict in Harris County court.
- Our client, a City employee, blew a .179 and failed all sobriety tests after being found asleep on the side of Beltway 8.
What did these defendants have in common? They all partnered with the team at Blass Law. From the moment we learned about these cases, we channeled our energy and resources into building their strategies. We don’t wait until the night before a trial to get things started; we come to court prepared.
How Our Houston First-Offense DWI Lawyer Intends to Secure a Not Guilty Verdict
Your lawyer intends to uphold your rights throughout each step of the legal process. This involves creating a defense strategy that puts your needs first. Depending on the details of your arrest, Attorney Jay Blass Cohen may assert that:
- The police didn’t have probable cause. Law enforcement can’t pull people over at random, hoping to bust someone for driving under the influence. They need a reason. If not, then we could have any evidence the police gathered dismissed, weakening the state’s case.
- There’s no evidence supporting a conviction. The prosecution needs to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction. They can’t do this without evidence. If the prosecution has evidence, we can learn whether it was lawfully obtained and admissible in court.
- You weren’t intoxicated. Field sobriety tests are subjective. We may find that the tests conducted at the station and arrest scene aren’t enough to support a conviction.
We may employ other strategies than those listed here. Your criminal record, criminal charges, and case’s situation inform our next steps.
We Protect You from the Penalties of a First-Time DWI Conviction
As noted, being convicted of drunk driving can change your life. Per the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), if found guilty, you could face class B misdemeanor conviction penalties. These include:
- A fine of up to $2,000
- Up to 180 days in county jail
- The loss of your driving privileges for up to a year
- Mandatory community service
Enhanced Penalties for a First-Time Houston DWI Conviction
The penalties above are just those for a standard first-time DWI conviction. If certain elements are present, you could face enhanced penalties.
- DWI with a BAC of .15 or above: If you had a BAC of 0.15 or above when arrested, you face class A misdemeanor charges. Penalties include a fine of up to $4,000 and/or up to one year in jail.
- Open container: If law enforcement pulls you over for DWI and finds an open container, you face a minimum of six days in jail.
- Child in car: If you had a child under 15 in the car when you were arrested for DWI, you face a state jail felony charge.
- Intoxication manslaughter: If you caused a fatal accident while under the influence, you could be charged with intoxication manslaughter. Penalties for a conviction could include up to $10,000 in fines and between two years and life in prison, depending on whether you face second- or first-degree felony charges.
- Additional charges: In certain circumstances, you could face additional charges. For example, you could be charged with drug possession along with DWI.
Houston criminal defense attorney Jay Cohen can help you determine what penalties you may face.
Non-Legal Penalties of a First-Time Houston DWI Conviction
Time behind bars and thousands of dollars in fines are just some of the severe consequences you could face if convicted of a first-time DWI. Other consequences include:
- Being unable to retain custody of your children
- Having problems holding public office
- Losing your job
- Having difficulty finding a new job
- Losing your commercial driver’s license (CDL)
- Spending money on rideshare services (if your license gets suspended)
What’s more, the trauma of an arrest and conviction could follow you forever. A criminal offense shouldn’t define your character or future. With our Houston first-offense DWI attorney, you can clear your name and move on with your life.
Can I Face a DWI Charge If My BAC Wasn’t At 0.08 or Above?
Yes, you can be charged with (and convicted of) DWI even if you weren’t at or above the legal limit. Per Texas law, the definition of intoxication is “having [a BAC] of 0.08 or more or not having the normal use of mental or physical faculties” due to alcohol, a controlled substance (either over-the-counter or illegal), or both drugs and alcohol.
This means that if drugs or alcohol affect your physical and mental capacities, you can still be charged with drunk driving, even if you were under the legal limit.
You can also be charged with DWI with a BAC of 0.04 or higher if you are a CDL holder.
Our Houston first-offense DWI lawyer can determine whether your charges are valid and fight for your future.
How We Can Use Expert Witnesses in Your Case
In some cases, we may recruit expert witnesses for your defense. Expert witnesses we may use include:
- Current or former police officers
- Breathalyzer experts
- Field sobriety test experts (I am one.)
A few examples of cases where we might use expert witnesses include:
- We suspect the Breathalyzer results are inaccurate. This is very common. Breathalyzers can be faulty, calibrated incorrectly, used before they are calibrated, or the results could be misread. We can establish this through the use of a Breathalyzer expert. For example, we had a case where a client blew a false positive because he was on the Keto diet. We were able to establish that ketosis had led to the false positive result.
- We suspect the field sobriety tests were performed improperly. I am a certified Standardized Field Sobriety Testing instructor and practitioner. I know the right way and the wrong way to perform these tests and can establish how and where police officers went wrong.
- We can have a scientist establish that you were not intoxicated at the time of your arrest. I am a lawyer-scientist and know how to utilize experts to testify on your behalf.
If our expert witnesses establish issues with the prosecution’s case, we may be able to get them to drop the charges. In some cases, we can prevent charges from being filed at all. Depending on the case, we may need to take your case to trial and have an expert witness testify. This could help us get a not guilty verdict.
Why Getting Help from Our Team Immediately Is So Important
Your case starts the second you are pulled over under suspicion of DWI. And things move very quickly from the start. You should get a Houston first-offense DWI attorney from our firm as soon as possible.
We can fight to keep your license and possibly get charges dismissed or prevent them from being filed at all. However, we need to get involved in your case as early as possible.
Connect With Our Houston First-Offense DWI Lawyer
You can learn more about our services and your legal options when you consult with us. In the consultation, we’ll explain how Houston first-offense DWI attorney Jay Blass Cohen will handle your first-time DWI charge. Afterward, if you hire him, Jay will do everything necessary to help you.
Call now to get started.