In deciding whether or not to charge a person with DWI, Houston-area law enforcement officers will often rely on the results of a horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) test. This is where the officer displays a penlight in front of the driver’s eyes and asks the driver to follow said light as the officer moves it […]

In Texas, a first-time drunk driving offense is typically prosecuted as a Class B misdemeanor under Section 49.04 of the Texas Penal Code. Normally, a Class B misdemeanor refers to a crime that is punishable by either a fine of no more than $2,000, a jail term of not more than 180 days, or both. […]

A Houston police officer only needs “reasonable suspicion” of DWI to stop and pull you over for further investigation. One thing that can lead the officer to form such reasonable suspicion is observing other traffic violations. For example, if you are swerving in-and-out of different lanes while driving, that could form a legal basis for […]

Most DWI arrests in Texas begin with an unrelated traffic stop. Assuming the officer has formed a “reasonable suspicion” that the driver has broken some law, any evidence later discovered of drunk driving is potentially admissible in court. Loud Car Stereo Created “Reasonable Suspicion” for Officers to Initiate Traffic Stop This includes something as seemingly […]

In Texas, a police officer does need definitive proof of drunk driving before initiating a traffic stop that ultimately leads to a DWI arrest. The law only requires “reasonable suspicion” that the defendant is possibly engaged in some sort of criminal activity. In other words, if the officer can articulate specific facts that led him […]

When you are arrested for drunk driving in Texas, you face not only potential criminal prosecution but also the administrative suspension of your driver’s license. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) oversees the latter. If the DPS notifies you of a suspension, you do have the right to a hearing before an administrative law […]

Most DWI arrests occur when a police officer stops a motorist and orders them to pull over to the side of the road. But what if a drunk driving suspect returns home before the officer has a chance to initiate a stop? Can the officer proceed to make an arrest at the suspect’s home without […]

Under Texas law, a person is legally intoxicated when they do not have “the normal use of mental or physical faculties by reason of the introduction of alcohol” into their body. There are a number of ways a prosecutor can prove intoxication based on this definition in a DWI case. One such method is presenting […]

DWI & drunk driving cases often begin with a traffic stop. In the process of citing a driver for a traffic violation, an officer may determine that there is “probable cause” to arrest and charge the driver with DWI. But can the officer arrest the driver based solely on the traffic violation and then conduct […]

If you have never been in trouble with the law before, a DWI charge might not seem like a big deal. After all, a first-time DWI is only a misdemeanor offense. But what you may not realize is that even a misdemeanor conviction can have serious consequences for your civil rights going forward. Houston Court […]