If you are facing a DWI charge in Texas, you probably have a lot of questions and not much time to sort through them. You need a straightforward explanation of how DWI charges work in Texas, what changes when it is not your first, and what you can do right now.
If you would rather just talk to someone, call Precision Recovery at (210) 701-8287. We can walk you through it.
The Penalties Get Worse Each Time
Texas does not treat a second or third DWI the same way it treats a first one.
- A first DWI is generally a misdemeanor. Possible consequences include jail time, fines, and a driver’s license suspension. Other circumstances can result in separate or more serious charges, including driving while intoxicated with a passenger under 15, causing serious bodily injury, or causing a death.
- A second DWI is generally a Class A misdemeanor. It carries higher possible fines and a longer potential jail sentence than a first offense, along with a minimum period of confinement if convicted.
- A third DWI is a felony. Prison is on the table, and a felony conviction stays on your record. Probation is still possible, and what you are doing about the underlying problem affects which way that goes.
Some situations raise the charge no matter how many you have had before. Driving with a child in the car is one. So is causing an injury or a death. A very high blood alcohol level can also raise a first charge to a more serious one.
Old DWIs Still Count
Some people assume a DWI stops counting after enough time has passed. Texas generally does not use a simple lookback period for prior DWI convictions. Even a conviction from many years ago may be used to enhance a new charge, so make sure your attorney knows about your complete record.
How a DWI Affects Your License, Job, and Record
The criminal case is only one part of a DWI charge in Texas. A DWI arrest may also begin a separate process with the Texas Department of Public Safety over your driver’s license. In many cases, you have only 15 days after being served with a suspension notice to request a hearing. A different deadline may apply when DPS mails the notice after receiving blood-test results, so speak with your attorney as soon as possible.
The rest builds up over time. A felony shows up on background checks and does not go away. Professional licensing boards will have questions. Insurance costs go up, job applications get harder, and many courts require an ignition interlock device, which means a breath test every time you start your car.
Why This Keeps Happening
If this is your second or third DWI, you already know the consequences. Knowing them, however, may not be enough to change a pattern of alcohol use. Genetics, mental health, physical health, stress, environment, and past experiences can all play a role. Treatment can help you look more closely at what is happening in your life and what may need to change.
Alcohol affects some brains differently than others. That difference is measurable, and it is often inherited. When it goes unaddressed, willpower and consequences alone will not hold, which is why so many people end up back in the same place a few years later.
Precision Recovery is a state-licensed treatment provider that has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval®.
Call (210) 701-8287 to talk about where to start.
How Treatment Works Here
Everything begins with an assessment. When appropriate, that process may include Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS) testing, which looks at certain genetic markers associated with reward pathways and substance-use risk. The clinical team considers those results alongside your health history, alcohol use, and other parts of the assessment when developing your treatment plan.
From there, your plan may include:
- An Intensive Outpatient Program, so you can keep working and stay with your family while you get treatment
- A Partial Hospitalization Program for more structure and more frequent support
- Counseling, individually, in a group, or with your family
- Medical support, including vitamin B IV therapy
Family therapy matters more than people anticipate. A DWI affects everyone in the house, and recovery holds up better when the people closest to you are part of it.
Treatment here is not a set number of weeks that ends when a court requirement is met. Recovery takes time, and we stay with people through it.
We Work With Your Attorney
While you are in the program, we document your participation and progress and can provide reports for your attorney to review and potentially use in your case. Precision Recovery also offers expert testimony at no additional cost. Your attorney can decide how that information fits into the legal strategy.
If you do not have an attorney yet, we can connect you with one from our network who handles felony DWI cases.
That said, the reports are a byproduct. The reason to be here is so there is no next charge.
Start Now
The sooner you begin, the more progress you have made by the time you are in front of a judge. More importantly, the sooner you start addressing what is behind this, the better your odds of not repeating it.
Call Precision Recovery at (210) 701-8287 or reach out here. We will be honest with you about whether we can help.
