What Is The Law If I Am Stopped At A DWI Roadblock?

Many people who are charged with DWI as a result of the roadblock or checkpoint are often uncertain as to its validity or legality. If you are charged with DWI and/or refusal to submit to a breathalyser or alcotest examination, you should consult an experienced DWI or Criminal lawyer to check whether the police followed the mandatory guidelines associated with these stops. In order to ensure that the roadblocks are legal, New Jersey has promulgated technical guidelines to prevent against unreasonable detention and arrests arising from roadblocks.

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The Costly Mistakes People Make After Being Charged For DWI

Being arrested for DWI or Refusal is a traumatic circumstance and can result in huge fines, license loss or suspension, jail and high insurance rates. DWI's are tough cases from a defense perspective. To give yourself a fighter's chance, you need to hire an attorney who handles DWI and criminal cases regularly.

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7/25/08 DWI Check Point In Ocean, NJ

Ocean Twp., NJ - Officers from the Ocean Township P.D. and other DWI task force members from Monmouth County will set up a DWI check point tonight in efforts to arrest people on suspicion of DWI and/or driving while intoxicated; including operators under the influence of drugs.

The time and location of the DWI checkpoint will be from 11:00 p.m.  tonight until 3:00 a.m. tomorrow on Route 35 north.  The members of the task force and Ocean Township police officers will direct vehicles from the northbound lanes of travel onto Bingham Avenue to check for intoxicated drivers.

In the event, that you are arrested for DWI and/or driving while intoxicated, you should consult an attorney to determine if the police complied with the specific mandates for checkpoints. If the police failed to comply with the requirements, you may be able to have your DWI case dismissed.

DWI Checkpoint on 7/11/08 to 7/12/08 in Avon, NJ

A DWI/DUI a.k.a. N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 (driving while intoxicated) task force from Monmouth County will perform a roadside checkpoint tonight to detect drivers under the influence of alcohol and or drugs. The hours of operation for the checkpoint will be between 11 p.m. through 3 a.m. Saturday on Main Street.

Officers from the task force and Avon will pull vehicles from the southbound lanes onto Garfield Avenue to determine drivers' sobriety. If you are arrested as a result, you should contact an experienced attorney who can advise you as to whether the task force followed the necessary guidelines required for a valid checkpoint. Failure to follow the guidelines can provide you with a defense.

DWI PENALTIES CHART

As promised in a previous DWI post, the following DWI Penalty chart provides an accused with an idea as to the penalties they are facing under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50. However, if you have a commercial driver's license (CDL) or have been charged with driving in a school zone, you should be advised that there are additional signifcant penalties and you should contact an attorney at once.

PENALTIES FOR DWI UNDER N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 as of 6/11/08

Does Not Include the Penalties for School Zone Offenses

DWI 39:4-50

Operate or Allowing

1st Offense Per Se Alcotest or Breathalyser Reading of  0.08% but  < 0.10% alcohol while operating or allowing operation

N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(a)(1)(i)

1st Offense Per Se Alcotest or Breathalyser Reading of 0.10 % alcohol or operating under the influence of drugs at any intoxicating level

N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 (a)(1)(ii)

2nd Offense Within 10 years of any previous violations of DWI  in NJ or any State in the U.S.A. 

N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(a)(2)

3rd or Subsequent Offense Within 10 years of of any previous violations of DWI  in NJ or any State in the U.S.A. 

N.J.S.A. 39:4-50

Fines

$250-$400

$300-$500

$500-$1000

$1000

Jail

Up to 30 days in jail at the discretion of the Judge

Up to 30 days in jail at the discretion of the Judge

From 2 to 90 days in jail

Jail for not less than 180 days; however, the Judge may reduce such term for each day served in an IDRC approved in-patient rehab center. However, you can only get a maximum 90 days of jail time credit this way

Driver's License Supended or Revoked

3 months driver's license suspension 

7months to 1 year driver's license suspension

2 year suspension of driver's license

10 year suspension of driver's license

Driver's License Suspened or Revoked Under 17 years old 

Suspension to run through 17th birthday & thereafter for 3 months

Suspension to run through 17th birthday & thereafter for 7 months to 1 year

Suspension to run through 17th birthday & thereafter two years

Suspension to run through 17th birthday & thereafter ten years

Other $ Penalties

VCCB $50

DDEF$100

SNSF $50

N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(i) $100

Other Mandatory penalties per N.J.S.A. 39:5-41

VCCB $50

DDEF$100

SNSF $50

N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(i) $100

Other Mandatory penalties per N.J.S.A. 39:5-41

VCCB $50

DDEF$100

SNSF $50

N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(i) $100

Other Mandatory penalties per N.J.S.A. 39:5-41

VCCB $50

DDEF$100

SNSF $50

N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(i) $100

Other Mandatory penalties per N.J.S.A. 39:5-41

Other Non $ Penalties

Court may order participation in supervised visitation program as either a condition of probation or a form of community service as per  N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(h)

Court may order participation in supervised visitation program as either a condition of probation or a form of community service as per  N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(h)

Court may order participation in supervised visitation program as either a condition of probation or a form of community service as per  N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(h)

Court may order participation in supervised visitation program as either a condition of probation or a form of community service as per  N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(h)

Community Service

No community service for a 1st . offense

No community service for a 1st. offense

Shall serve 30 days Community service

No community service for a 3rd or subsequent offense

Intoicated Drivers Resource Center

12 to 48 hours at IDRC & satisy the screening, evaluation  & referral requirements. If the requirements are not met, then there is a two (2) day mandatory jail term & no reinstatement of driver's license until the IDRC has been completed.

12 to 48 hours at IDRC & satisy the screening, evaluation  & referral requirements. If the requirements are not met, then there is a two (2) day mandatory jail term & no reinstatement of driver's license until the IDRC has been completed.

Subject to N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(b) satisy the screening, evaluation  & referral requirements. If the requirements are not met, then there is a two (2) day mandatory jail term & no reinstatement of driver's license until the IDRC has been completed.

Subject to N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(b) satisy the screening, evaluation & referral requirements. If the requirements are not met, then there is a two (2) day mandatory jail term & no reinstatement of driver's license until the IDRC has been completed.

Ignition Interlock Device or Suspended Registration

Court may order installation of an ignition interlock device on every owned, leased or regularly operated vehicle for not less than  6 months & not greater than 1 year after the expiration of the suspension. No registartion revocation ofr the 1st offense. 

Court may order installation of an ignition interlock device on every owned, leased or regularly operated vehicle for not less than  6 months & not greater than 1 year after the expiration of the suspension. No registartion revocation ofr the 1st offense.

Court shall order installation of an ignition interlock device on every owned, leased or regularly operated vehicle for not less than 1 year to not more than 3 years after the expiration of the suspension. OR the Court shall order the revocation of the registration certificate and plates for 2 years per N.J.S.A. 39:3-40.1.

Court shall order installation of an ignition interlock device on every owned, leased or regularly operated vehicle for not less than 1 year to not more than 3 years after the expiration of the suspension. OR the Court shall order the revocation of the registration certificate and plates for 10 years per N.J.S.A. 39:3-40.1.

WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES FOR DWI?

Being charged with and convicted of Driving While Intoxicated (either via alcohol or drugs) under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 has serious consequences in New Jersey. There are both direct consequences and collateral consequences that arise from a conviction of DWI. This article will address the direct consequences (only), which can result in a jail term, a significant loss of your driver's license through suspension or revocation and high monetary penalties. With respect to the collateral consequences, an attorney should always be consulted. The penalties for DWI, vary upon the number of prior convictions for DWI that you may have and the location of the incident (i.e. increased penalties if the event happened near or on school grounds). In the coming days, I will be creating a chart that should provide you with an idea of the potential penalties that you face.

Please Do Not Drink & Drive This Holiday Weekend!

The Asbury Park Press has reported that the DWI task force will be out in force tonight in West Long Branch. Specifically, the DWI task force will have a checkpoint tonight to apprehend drivers who are DWI (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50-driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs). The time that the checkpoint will be in effect is from 11 p.m. today through 3 a.m. Saturday on Route 36 westbound. Members of the DWI task force and local police officers will direct vehicles from the westbound side of the highway into the Monmouth Park Corporate Center parking lot to determine whether drivers are driving while intoxicated.

Please remember not to drive while intoxicated. Remember, it is cheaper to take a taxi than it is to deal with the consequences of a DWI. Everyone have a safe and fun Holiday weekend and remember to thank a Veteran.

How Do I Expunge (Clear) My Criminal Record?

The answer to this question is to have an attorney file an Expungement under N.J.S.A. 2C:52-1 et seq. with the Superior Court of New Jersey. The most common need for an expungement occurs because a person wants to pass a background check when they seek employment. People expunge ther records so that potential employers will not find out about a past arrest, entry into a Pre Trial Intervention Program, conditional discharge or conviction of a disorderly persons offense, petty disorderly persons offense, crime or municipal ordinance. An expungement is defined as... 

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Alcotest 7110-New DWI Test In New Jersey

In State v. Jane H. Chun, the state Supreme Court on March 17, 2008 ruled that the Alcotest 7110 breath test used by police throughout the state is scientifically reliable.

Since Jan. 10, 2006, an order known as the "Chun stay" has allowed people who entered guilty pleas to driving while intoxicated to hold onto their driver's licenses pending the high court's exhaustive review of the Alcotest.

The ruling, which stems from a case by 28 defendants in Middlesex County, will allow roughly 10,000 drunken driving cases in New Jersey to move forward.