While any conviction for driving while intoxicated in New Jersey can bring with it fines, possible jail time and other repercussions, the state reserves its harshest penalties for its repeat DWI offenders. At the Law Offices of Anthony N. Palumbo, we recognize that the penalties associated with repeat DWIs have the potential to upend many aspects of your life, and we have helped many people facing repeat DWI charges defend themselves appropriately.
According to NJ.gov, even the state’s first-time DWI offenders face up to 30 days behind bars, hundreds of dollars in fines, license suspensions, substance abuse treatment requirements and a sharp increase in their automotive insurance rates. As you can imagine, though, these penalties become increasingly harsh with each subsequent DWI conviction, and they are also typically more substantial for offenders who were in school zones or school crosswalks at the time of their offense.
Second-time DWI offenders, for example, can potentially face a broad range of penalties relating to their crimes. In addition to having to pay fines that fall somewhere between $500 and $1,000, second-time DWI offenders potentially face up to 90 days in jail, a two-year loss of licensure, community service obligations, substance abuse treatment requirements and so on. Furthermore, they must also install ignition interlock devices on their vehicles for between one and three years after they begin driving again.
Should you find yourself charged and convicted of DWI for a third time in New Jersey, you can potentially face a $1,000 fine, a 180-day period of imprisonment and a 10-year loss of your driver’s license. You can also anticipate having to perform community service and attend a substance abuse treatment program, and your auto insurance rates will also rise considerably in the aftermath. You can also plan on installing an ignition interlock device, which you will typically need to have on your car for somewhere between one and three years, at your own expense. You can find out more about DWI in New Jersey on our webpage.
