OK, the short answer is absolutely, but let’s explain.
If you are accused of a DWI in the state of Minnesota, the U.S. Constitution entitles you to obtain attorney representation. Of course, there is no law that requires you to have representation from an attorney when charged with DWI or any other drunk driving-related offense. So often people ask “Do I even need an attorney?”.
Drivers in Minnesota have known that driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) higher than .08 but less than .20 constitutes a misdemeanor DWI. Individual drivers found guilty of this crime could face up to 90 days in jail and/or pay a fine up to $1,000. On the other hand, those who were found to have a BAC of .20 or higher are charged with a gross misdemeanor and are subject to tougher penalties.
Under the United States justice system, the defendant is assumed to be innocent until he or she is proven guilty in a court of law. This is because as a U.S. citizen, you are granted numerous essential rights and liberties, including the presumption of innocence should you ever be accused of committing a crime. This means that if you are involved in a DWI case, your guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt before you can be convicted of the DWI charges against you.
According to DWI law in Minnesota and all other states, it is considered unlawful for you to operate, drive, or be in physical control of a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher. It is not necessary that the DWI suspect show signs of impairment. As long as it can be proven that your BAC level is above the legal limit, then you may be arrested for DWI.
All across the US, states are continually trying out strategies to minimize drunk-driving incidences. Minnesota is no stranger to this problem: in 2013 alone, 25,719 motorists – an average of 70 a day – were arrested for driving while intoxicated. Of the violators, 10,455 or 41% had at least one prior record of DWI.
Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disorder or GERD is a chronic digestive disorder that occurs when an individual’s lower esophageal sphincter is weakened. Contents of the stomach leak upwards from the stomach and into the esophagus, often causing heartburn. This condition that affects approximately 30 millions people across the United States each year can cause severe symptoms such as acid reflux into the upper portion of the esophagus.
Every year, thousands of drivers across the United States are charged with impaired driving. Many of these arrests and charges are partly based on the driver’s inability to perform field sobriety tests.
We blogged earlier about the most common traffic offenses committed by intoxicated drivers. This blog discusses why such traffic offenses may occur after an individual has consumed a sufficient amount of alcohol.
A restricted driver’s license with a no-drug or alcohol restriction is commonly referred to in Minnesota as a B-card. This type of license gives a repeat DWI offender the chance to be validly relicensed to drive after cancellation—typically after three DWI violations in a ten-year period or four DWI incidents in a lifetime.
Alcohol-related offenses like drunk-driving and underage drinking are common in the US. On average, two out of three people will be involved in a DWI crash in their lifetime, and one in six teenagers binge drinks. Recently, a new concern has emerged that such alcohol-related incidents may rise due to a new product on the market called powdered alcohol.
Top 20 DWI Questions in MN
