A DWI arrest sets two separate cases in motion at once, and most people don’t realize it until they’ve already missed a deadline. Knowing what’s ahead helps you make good decisions early, when you have the most options. A Houston DWI lawyer can guide you through each step; here’s the Texas DWI process from arrest to appeal.
Two Cases, Not One
- The criminal case: brought by the prosecutor, this is the DWI charge that can lead to jail, fines, and a permanent record.
- The civil license case (ALR): run by the Texas Department of Public Safety, this decides whether your driver’s license is suspended. You have just 15 days from your arrest to request an ALR hearing, or your license is automatically suspended. This is the most time-sensitive step in the entire process.
The Stages of a Texas DWI Case
- Arrest and booking, followed by bail or a personal bond.
- The ALR clock starts: request the hearing within 15 days to protect your license.
- Arraignment and first setting, where the charge is formally presented.
- Investigation and pretrial: your lawyer gathers the evidence (the stop, the breath or blood test, the reports) and files motions to suppress anything obtained illegally.
- Resolution: the case is dismissed, reduced, resolved by plea (which may include deferred adjudication for an eligible first offense), or set for trial.
- Trial, when it’s the right move, where the State must prove intoxication beyond a reasonable doubt.
- Appeal, if you’re convicted at trial and legal errors affected the outcome, see appealing a DWI conviction.
Why Early Action Changes Everything
The best outcomes come from getting involved early, hitting the 15-day ALR deadline, preserving dashcam and bodycam footage before it disappears, and finding the weaknesses in the State’s case from the start. An experienced Houston DWI lawyer turns the process from something happening to you into a strategy you control.
Just Arrested? Contact Blass Law Now
The 15-day license clock is already running. Contact Blass Law for a confidential case evaluation or call (713)-664-4000 so we can get to work protecting your license and your record.