The DWI Process In New York City

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DWI process in New York CityAfter your arraignment in New York City for a DWI charge, the DWI process will follow several important steps. These steps are part of the criminal justice process and can have significant consequences depending on your situation, such as whether it’s your first offense or if there are aggravating factors involved. After the arraignment:

Pre-Trial Hearings and Motions

After the arraignment, your case enters the pre-trial phase, which include a series of hearings and motions. Your NYC DWI attorney will file motions to protect your rights and to challenge the evidence against you. These motions include:

  • Motion to Suppress Evidence
  • Motion to Dismiss
  • Motion to Reduce Charges

Discovery Phase

  • Prosecution’s Disclosure: During discovery, the prosecution is required to provide your DWI defense attorney with evidence that they intend to use in trial, including police reports, witness statements, breathalyzer test results, and any video footage from the arrest.
  • Defense Evidence: Your attorney will also gather evidence to support your defense. This could include expert testimony, such as challenging the reliability of a breathalyzer test or proving that you were not impaired at the time of the arrest.

Plea Bargaining

  • Negotiation: In many cases, in the DWI process your DWI defense attorney will negotiate with the prosecution to reach a plea deal. This means you might plead guilty to a reduced charge or receive a lighter sentence in exchange for avoiding a trial. The goal is often to reduce the penalties associated with a DWI conviction.
    • Plea to DWAI: If it’s your first offense and the evidence against you is strong, your attorney may negotiate for a Driving While Ability Impaired plea, which is a lesser charge than DWI. This could result in lesser fines and a shorter license suspension.
    • Aggravated DWI: If your BAC was above 0.18%, you could be charged with Aggravated DWI, which carries harsher penalties. However, a plea agreement might still reduce the sentence.

Pre-Trial Conference

  • Court Appearance: If a plea deal is not reached, the case proceeds to a pre-trial conference. During this conference, your attorney and the prosecutor will discuss potential plea deals, exchange information, and determine whether the case will go to trial. Your attorney may continue negotiations or start preparing for trial if no agreement is made.

Trial Preparation

  • Witnesses and Evidence: If a plea deal is not reached, the case will go to trial. Your DWI defense lawyer will prepare by gathering evidence, reviewing witness testimony, and consulting expert witnesses.

For help navigating the complex DWI process we encourage you to contact an aggressive DWI lawyer in New York City today! Call 917-519-8417

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