DWI – DUI

At OSBORNE LAW, we understand that getting arrested for a DWI/DUI is an Earth shattering and life altering experience.  If you are reading this website because you or someone special to you has, then we are here for you.  Take a deep breath, lean back, and know that sometime soon this will all be behind you.  A few other things to know that might comfort you is:

• Most DWI/OUI arrests do NOT result in anyone having to go to jail beyond your initial arrest and booking.
• Most DWI/OUI arrests do NOT result in anyone having to be put on probation.
• Most DWI/OUI arrests do NOT mean you are going to lose your license to drive for years.
• Most DWI/OUI arrests do NOT result in you having to install an alcohol breathalyzer machine in your car before you can drive it.

Attorney Osborne is a dedicated DWI lawyer in NH.

Now, having removed some of your most extreme fears and concerns of being carted off to prison or county stockade, lets acknowledge some of the things that stink about a DWI arrest:

• You will almost certainly lose your license for some period of time.
• You will most likely have to pay a fine.
• You will most certainly have to deal with both the courts and the DMV at the same time.
• This will be an expensive few months for you.

But, most importantly:

You WILL GET THROUGH THIS!  As Rocky Balboa would say, “it ain’t all sunshine and roses,” but you WILL get through this.  If you are reading this website, it means that you probably aren’t injured or in jail.  You do have the resources to ride out this storm. At OSBORNE LAW, we are here to help you do just that. So, lets get started and talk about the questions we know you have:

What is the difference between a DWI and an OUI?  None.  For all practical purposes the three letters you use to describe a drunk driving arrest or accusation does not matter.  What matters is that you get a lawyer and fast!

What are the typical DWI/DUI Consequences for my first DWI Arrest?  Under New Hampshire law, if you got arrested for a typical first Driving While Intoxicated offense, you are typically looking at the following consequences if you do nothing to fight or contest you arrest in court:

First, the New Hampshire DMV will take your license for 6 months (180 days) just for getting arrested.  It does not matter whether or not you took a breath test.  Your 6 month (180 days) suspension will began 30 days after your arrest.  Yes, this is all before you even have a trial in court!

*Please remember that every case is different, and your DMV suspension may differ from what I have described above, but generally the above scenario is what we see at OSBORNE LAW.

Second, if you do not fight your DWI arrest, and it is your first arrest, you can expect to receive the following punishment:

• 9 months loss of license, with the option to reduce the 9 months down to 90 days if you:

Complete an Impaired Driver Care Management Program (i.e. a mandatory state sanctioned alcohol/drug rehabilitative evaluation and treatment program).

• $500 fine (plus $120 tax) for a total of $620 dollars;
• Mandatory expensive insurance coverage known as an SR-22;
• And other license and travel (international) restrictions.

How can a DWI lawyer in NH help me with this DWI? Lots of ways! A lawyer can immediately start talking to a prosecutor about your case, whereas you may not hear from the prosecutor until your first court appearance a month from now.  Do you know all of the consequences of a DWI/arrest?  Your lawyer will. Do you know who you have to deal with first, the New Hampshire DMV or the Court? You lawyer does.  Did the cop

DWI/OUI charges bring about severe consequences that in the eyes on many, well exceed the crime.  We have seen many cases where our clients probably should not have been driving.  We have also seen many cases when the police officer arrested our clients without sufficient evidence to prove they were drunk or intoxicated.

We suspect that sometimes police arrest people for DWI/DUI just to be extra careful or “just in case” – regardless of there is sufficient evidence to prove drunkenness or intoxication.  The reason for this “arrest them all and let the Courts sort it out” approach is because police officers do not want to err on the side of chance and hope that you make it home safely without crossing into oncoming traffic and killing an entire family.  At OSBORNE LAW, we do not condone false arrests nor prosecutions of the innocent.  We simply acknowledge that they happen for a number of reasons.

The truth is every case is different.  As a successful DWI lawyer in NH, OSBORNE LAW will strive to achieve results for our clients that they (and we) can be proud of.  Of course, there are those challenging case with incriminating circumstances and inconvenient facts (such as high breath test results, confessions to drinking 7 + beers and whiskies, eye-witnesses, disasterous police cam video, and the occasional collision with another car or tree).  Whatever you case holds in store for us, at OSBORNE LAW, we are honest and direct about our first impressions of your case and all its twists and turns.  During our very first meeting, if you wish, we will chart out a plan to get you from A to B.  Then after a good handshake (or elbow bumb these days) we go to work for YOU (and ultimately for the people most important in your life who care for and depend on you).

At OSBORNE LAW, Attorney Mark Osborne has been a DWI lawyer in NH for over 14 years and understands that sometimes people don’t always make the best decisions when it comes to drinking and driving.  But that doesn’t mean you or they should be imprisoned, or made unemployed, homeless, or excessively shamed.

Attorney Mark Osborne is eager and willing to help you restore balance with your DWI/DUI situation and to help you arrive at the best possible result for your individual circumstances.