Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) Lawyer in Friendswood

A DUID arrest in Texas can lead to serious legal consequences. The State may claim that a drug impaired your ability to drive, even if you were taking a medication that was legally prescribed to you. You could be facing jail time and fines even for a first offense. 

Drug-related DWI cases often rely on the events of your traffic stop and the evidence gathered against you. Our driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) lawyers in Friendswood can examine the circumstances of your arrest and challenge weaknesses in the State’s case.

The Law Offices of Tad Nelson has served more than 20,000 clients, many facing serious criminal charges in Texas. Big City Experience, Small Town Values. Call now to schedule your free consultation and find out how our DWI lawyers in Friendswood can help. 

What Is DUID in Texas?

Texas generally handles driving under the influence of drugs under its DWI laws. A person may commit DWI by operating a motor vehicle in a public area while intoxicated. The law also applies when the alleged impairment involves a drug rather than alcohol.

Texas law defines intoxication based on whether a substance caused a person to lose the normal use of their physical or mental faculties.  A positive drug test does not automatically establish that you were intoxicated while driving. 

Our criminal defense lawyers in Friendswood will examine whether the evidence actually shows that the substance affected your ability to operate the vehicle at the time of the alleged offense. We will seek the best potential outcome to your case. 

How Can a DUID Lawyer Help?

Our role is to protect your legal rights throughout the process. Even though the legal system may make you feel like your fate is sealed, our driving under the influence of drugs attorneys in Friendswood will make sure they treat you fairly. 

• We examine the evidence against you to determine whether it actually supports the DUID allegation you are facing.
• After reviewing the traffic stop, we determine whether the officer had a lawful basis for taking further action.
• By scrutinizing the officer’s observations and statements, we look for inconsistencies or weaknesses that may affect your case.
• When we review the reported drug findings, we assess whether the testing actually supports the State’s claim of impairment.
• Should we find problems with the State’s evidence, we can determine whether those issues provide grounds to challenge its use in your case.

Throughout the process, our legal team will work to ensure that your civil liberties are respected while your DUID charge is being addressed. We communicate with the prosecution and advocate for an outcome that reflects the facts and circumstances of your case.

What Are the Penalties for a Drug-Related DWI in Texas?

DWI under Texas Penal Code Section 49.04 is generally a Class B misdemeanor with a minimum 72-hour confinement term. This includes DUID. Certain aggravating circumstances can elevate a DWI to more serious charges, such as:

• Alleged alcohol concentration of 0.15 or more.
• The presence of a child passenger.
• Prior intoxication-related convictions.

Two qualifying prior convictions can result in a third-degree felony. A DWI case can become even more serious when another person suffers serious bodily injury or dies. Texas law provides separate offenses for intoxication assault and intoxication manslaughter.

How Does a DUID Impact Driving Privileges?

Your criminal case and your driver’s license situation are separate issues. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) describes its Administrative License Revocation (ALR) process as a civil administrative proceeding that is separate from the criminal DWI case.

An ALR matter can arise from a refusal or failure involving a breath or blood test under the circumstances covered by Texas law. DPS states that a person generally has 15 days from service of the suspension notice to request an ALR hearing.

A license issue can develop while the criminal charge is still pending, so do not assume that resolving one proceeding automatically resolves the other. Our Friendswood driving under the influence of drugs lawyers will help address license-related issues. 

Talk to Our Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) Lawyer in Friendswood

A driving under the influence of drugs charge can have lasting consequences for your freedom and your ability to drive. The situation can become more serious when the State alleges a prior DWI conviction or claims that an accident caused serious injury or death.

Time can also make it more difficult to investigate the allegations against you. Don’t wait to get the legal help that can make a difference in your case. Our driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) attorneys in Friendswood will help you find the best path forward.

Our team at the Law Offices of Tad Nelson has more than 100 years of combined legal experience, and we have handled over 500 jury trials. We are ready to go to the mattress for you. Call today for your free consultation and tell us about your DUID charges in Texas.