What's Really at Stake?
A New Hampshire DWI conviction begins in the courtroom and extends across your entire life. Here's a glimpse of what's really at stake as you face your DWI charges.
Your freedom
Worst case scenario: You might wind up spending up to 7 years in jail.
Short of jail time, losing your license is one of the most prohibitive consequences of your DWI. Think for a moment about how much you rely on your vehicle – to get to work, get groceries, visit friends and family, make appointments… the list goes on and on.
In New Hampshire, your license may be revoked for between 9 months and 5 years, possibly longer. At a minimum, you'd be looking at 270 days without driving privileges. You have to plan your rides or map your bus route, so those last-minute trips to the convenience store are out of the question.
Until it is taken away from you, you may not realize how much you depend on your car in your daily life.
You've heard it before: Time is money. But time is also valuable in and of itself. Your DWI can be very draining on your already limited free time.
Instead of spending it with friends and family, working or pursuing your hobbies, you might be spending as much as 28 days in a remedial program or up to 7 years in jail. Yes, jail. Not to mention, the spare time you do have is spent stressing over your DWI and all the legal proceedings involved.
Your relationships
If you haven't told your friends and loved ones about your DWI yet, you're probably dreading it.
Negative attitudes toward drinking and driving can alter or ruin your personal and professional relationships once your DWI charges are in the open. If your friends and loved ones are like most surveyed Americans,* they favor harsher punishments for DWIs.
Your DWI can destroy or harm your relationships with those who matter most. Don't let your DWI hurt your relationships.
DWI Attorney Russman will stand up for your rights and do everything in his power to ensure the best possible outcome.
* Lieb, Robert and Frederick Wiseman,”Public Attitudes Toward Automobile Safety Issues.” Transportation Journal. 2001.
Your money
DWIs are expensive. Besides legal fees, you could pay upwards of $1,000 just in court fees. Add that to alcohol counseling programs, public transportation, and work time lost, and your bill can easily climb to tens of thousands of dollars.
What's more, your car insurance can increase substantially.
The expenses keep stacking up and your funding is running dry. Unless you act quickly, you may quickly find yourself in a financial bind.
Your career
Your criminal record will follow you forever. Even when it's expunged or “off the record,” it's still intact; just a little bit harder to obtain.
The job market is already in a drought; so when you have to check “yes” next to the question, “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?” your chances of landing your dream job are slim to none.
Don't think that lying on your application will help – most employers run routine background checks. Then, not only are you an applicant with a criminal record, but now you're an applicant with a criminal record who lied about it.
“Criminal histories are stigmatizing [convicts] for the rest of their lives,” Roberta Meyers-Peeples, deputy director of National H.I.R.E. Network, said.
A Smart Choice
Ryan Russman, a New Hampshire Board-certified DWI Attorney, has helped countless individuals who have been arrested under NH DWI laws.
- Call Russman Law Offices right now at 603-772-3433.
- Request a Free Case Review
DWI Attorney Russman will help you understand the law as it impacts your case, and explore ways to ensure a positive outcome.