A felony driving while intoxicated (DWI) hands down severe criminal penalties if convicted by a judge or jury. In New Mexico, your DWI hits felony-level when you are arrested for your 4th or subsequent offense. It is also possible for a misdemeanor DWI to escalate into a felony if the offense involved another person’s death or endangered a child. Hire a felony DWI/DUI lawyer in Las Vegas, New Mexico at Grano Law Offices, P.C. to defend your case.
Even though it may feel like the criminal justice system is treating you like you are guilty, you are not. DWI and driving under intoxication (DUI) investigations are standardized, but they are also flawed in many ways. My legal team will investigate the charges against you and mount a case strategy that seeks to get them reduced or dismissed. Our objective is always to mitigate the negative impact of these criminal charges on your life.
Free Case Strategy Session with a New Mexico Felony DUI Lawyer
Felony charges are the most serious you can face. It is vital that you obtain legal representation from a felony DUI attorney as soon as possible. We might even be able to defend your case before formal charges arise. Call Grano Law Offices, P.C. now for a Free Case Strategy Session at (505) 426-8711 or by sending us a note about your case here.
The Penalties of a Felony DUI in New Mexico Are Severe
New Mexico has some of the strictest laws in the country when it comes to Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol. NMSA 1978, Section 66-8-102. Whether you feel intoxicated or not, it is illegal to drive in New Mexico when your blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08 or higher. Being arrested for DWI can result in heavy fines or even jail time.
A FOURTH OR SUBSEQUENT DWI/DWI charge is considered a felony in New Mexico. The charge depends on the number of prior valid convictions the prosecution is able to prove to the court. A felony DWI/DUI invokes significant mandatory incarceration time and felony probation requirements.
Under New Mexico law, these are the following sentencing guidelines for a felony DWI or DUI:
- A 4th DWI conviction is a fourth-degree felony, with a mandatory minimum of six (6) months imprisonment and a maximum eighteen (18) months imprisonment sentence under NMSA 1978, Section 66-8-102G.
- A 5th DWI conviction is also a fourth-degree felony. However, it carries a mandatory one (1) year of imprisonment with a maximum of two (2) years imprisonment under NMSA 1978, Section 68-8-102H.
- A 6th DWI conviction is a third-degree felony, with a mandatory eighteen (18) months of imprisonment with a maximum of thirty (30) months imprisonment under NMSA 1978, Section 68-8-102I.
- A 7th DWI conviction is also a third-degree felony. However, it carries a mandatory minimum of two (2) years with a maximum of three (3) years imprisonment under NMSA 1978, Section 68-8-102J.
- An 8th DWI or subsequent conviction is a second-degree felony, with a mandatory MINIMUM OF TEN (10) YEARS incarceration and a maximum of twelve (12) years under NMSA 1978, Section 66-8-102K.
All felony DWI convictions require felony probation/parole monitoring and compliance with felony probationary requirements. As you can see, the penalties associated with a felony conviction affect a significant portion of your life. The criminal justice system in New Mexico makes mistakes when arresting, charging, and prosecuting defendants.
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Grano Law Offices, P.C. Will Help You
After you or a loved one is charged with a felony DUI, do not avoid hiring a felony DWI/DUI lawyer to represent your case in New Mexico. The penalties on the table are too severe to leave to chance.
Instead of leaving it up to the system, hire a DWI defense attorney to:
- Build a solid defense that challenges the prosecutors’ arguments and holds up in court
- Work toward getting your charges dismissed or reduced
- Exhaust every opportunity to protect your civil liberties and legal rights
- Investigate the actions of the arresting officer
- Determine if the DWI/DUI testing equipment was faulty or malfunctioning
- And more
Hire a trial-tested, seasoned DUI defense attorney in New Mexico who is familiar with your case’s facts, your criminal history, New Mexico DWI/DUI laws, and the nature of your offense. These elements are essential to obtaining a satisfactory resolution, regardless of the outcome. Give yourself every fighting chance at freedom.
Hire an NHTSA-Certified Felony DWI Lawyer
The effective defense of a DWI/DUI arrest is specialized, intricate, and detailed. I am certified by the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and DWI/DUI investigations. I will use that knowledge and experience to provide you with the best defense possible.
My team and I will obtain and preserve discoverable evidence, conduct a thorough defense investigation, prepare a defense of your case with you, fight for your driver’s license, and challenge the prosecutor every step of the way. If you or a loved one finds yourself facing a DWI/DUI charge, call us, we can help!
Start on Building Your Defense with a Free Case Strategy Session
When you need legal advice from a felony DWI lawyer, contact Marc Grano at Grano Law Offices, P.C. Our legal team will help you understand your options. Request your Free Case Strategy Session now by (505) 426-8711.
