No matter what you call it, the consequences can be significant. Being a former municipal prosecutor, I know the State of New Jersey takes DWI type offenses very seriously, and so do I. However, just because you are charged with a DWI related offense, does not mean that you are guilty. You have very important rights, and you deserve to have an experienced, aggressive attorney on YOUR side.

Having the “right” attorney on your side it only to your benefit. I have not only handled DWI type matters, but also related matters such as: underage DWI, refusal to submit to a breathalyzer, reckless driving, driving while suspended, driving without insurance, drug offenses and disorderly persons offenses.





If you are found guilty of a DWI, below are the following penalties:

DWI Mandatory fines and penalties

Alcohol or drug related DUI with BAC greater than 0.08% but less than 0.10%
License loss	Fines, fees & surcharges	Prison term	Community service requirement
3 months	$250–$400 fine $230 IDRC* fee $100 to drunk driving fund $100 to AERF* $1,000/year (for 3 years) surcharge $75 to Neighborhood Services Fund	Up to 30 days	12–48 hours IDRC*

Alcohol or drug related DUI with BAC of 0.10% or greater
License loss	Fines, fees & surcharges	Prison term	Community service requirement
7 months– 1 year	$300–$500 fine $230 IDRC* fee $100 to drunk driving fund $100 to AERF* $1,000/year (for 3 years) surcharge $75 to Neighborhood Services Fund	Up to 30 days	12–48 hours IDRC*

Repeated DUI convictions
Offense	License loss	Fines, fees & surcharges	Prison term	Community service requirement
2nd offense within 10 years	2 years	$500–$1,000 fine $280 IDRC* fee $100 to drunk driving fund $100 to AERF* $1,000/year (for 3 years) surcharge $75 to Neighborhood Services Fund	48 hours– 90 days	30 days and 12–48 hours IDRC*
3rd offense within 10 years of 2nd offense	10 years	$1,000 fine $280 IDRC* fee $100 to drunk driving fund $100 to AERF* $1,500/year (for 3 years) surcharge $75 to Neighborhood Services Fund	180 days	Up to 90 days (can reduce period of imprisonment) and 12–48 hours IDRC*

Driving while possessing drugs (CDS)
License loss	Fines or surcharges
2 years	Minimum $50 fine

CONSENT TO GIVING BREATH SAMPLES – N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.2.

1. Any person who operates a motor vehicle on any public road, street or highway or quasi-public area in this State shall be deemed to have given his consent to the taking of samples of his breath for the purpose of making chemical tests to determine the content of alcohol in his blood; provided, however, that the taking of samples is made in accordance with the provisions of this act and at the request of a police officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that such person has been operating a motor vehicle in violation of the provisions of R.S. 39:4-50.
   
   
2. A record of the taking of any such sample, disclosing the date and time thereof, as well as the result of any chemical test, shall be made and a copy thereof, upon his request, shall be furnished or made available to the person so tested.
   
   
3. In addition to the samples taken and tests made at the direction of a police officer hereunder, the person tested shall be permitted to have such samples taken and chemical tests of his breath, urine or blood made by a person or physician of his own selection.
   
   
4. The police officer shall inform the person tested of his rights under subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
   
   
5. No chemical test, as provided in this section, or specimen necessary thereto, may be made or taken forcibly and against physical resistance thereto by the defendant. The police officer shall, however, inform the person arrested of the consequences of refusing to submit to such test in accordance with section 2 of this amendatory and supplementary act. [FN1] A standard statement, prepared by the director, shall be read by the police officer to the person under arrest.

REFUSAL TO SUBMIT PENALTIES – N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4

1. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, the municipal court shall revoke the right to operate a motor vehicle of any operator who, after being arrested for a violation of R.S.39:4-50, shall refuse to submit to a test provided for in section 2 of P.L.1966, c. 142 (C.39:4-50.2) when requested to do so, for not less than seven months or more than one year unless the refusal was in connection with a second offense under this section, in which case the revocation period shall be for two years or unless the refusal was in connection with a third or subsequent offense under this section in which case the revocation shall be for ten years. A conviction or administrative determination of a violation of a law of a substantially similar nature in another jurisdiction, regardless of whether that jurisdiction is a signatory to the Interstate Driver License Compact pursuant to P.L.1966, c. 73 (C.39:5D-1 et seq.), shall constitute a prior conviction under this section.
   
   The municipal court shall determine by a preponderance of the evidence whether the arresting officer had probable cause to believe that the person had been driving or was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle on the public highways or quasi-public areas of this State while the person was under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a narcotic, hallucinogenic, or habit-producing drug or marijuana; whether the person was placed under arrest, if appropriate, and whether he refused to submit to the test upon request of the officer; and if these elements of the violation are not established, no conviction shall issue. In addition to any other requirements provided by law, a person whose operator's license is revoked for refusing to submit to a test shall be referred to an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center established by subsection (f.) of R.S.39:4-50 and shall satisfy the same requirements of the center for refusal to submit to a test as provided for in section 2 of P.L.1966, c. 142 (C.39:4-50.2) in connection with a first, second, third or subsequent offense under this section that must be satisfied by a person convicted of a commensurate violation of this section, or be subject to the same penalties as such a person for failure to do so. For a first offense, the revocation may be concurrent with or consecutive to any revocation imposed for a conviction under the provisions of R.S.39:4-50 arising out of the same incident. For a second or subsequent offense, the revocation shall be consecutive to any revocation imposed for a conviction under the provisions of R.S.39:4-50. In addition to issuing a revocation, except as provided in subsection b. of this section, the municipal court shall fine a person convicted under this section, a fine of not less than $300 or more than $500 for a first offense; a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000 for a second offense; and a fine of $1,000 for a third or subsequent offense.
   
   
2. For a first offense, the fine imposed upon the convicted person shall be not less than $600 or more than $1,000 and the period of license suspension shall be not less than one year or more than two years; for a second offense, a fine of not less than $1,000 or more than $2,000 and a license suspension for a period of four years; and for a third or subsequent offense, a fine of $2,000 and a license suspension for a period of 20 years when a violation of this section occurs while:
   
   
   • on any school property used for school purposes which is owned by or leased to any elementary or secondary school or school board, or within 1,000 feet of such school property;
   • driving through a school crossing as defined in R.S.39:1-1 if the municipality, by ordinance or resolution, has designated the school crossing as such; or
   • driving through a school crossing as defined in R.S.39:1-1 knowing that juveniles are present if the municipality has not designated the school crossing as such by ordinance or resolution.

A map or true copy of a map depicting the location and boundaries of the area on or within 1,000 feet of any property used for school purposes which is owned by or leased to any elementary or secondary school or school board produced pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1997, c. 101 (C.2C:35-7) may be used in a prosecution under paragraph (1) of this subsection.

It shall not be relevant to the imposition of sentence pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection that the defendant was unaware that the prohibited conduct took place while on or within 1,000 feet of any school property or while driving through a school crossing. Nor shall it be relevant to the imposition of sentence that no juveniles were present on the school property or crossing zone at the time of the offense or that the school was not in session.

UNDERGAGE DRINKING & DRIVING – N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.14

Any person under the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages who operates a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.01% or more, but less than 0.08% , by weight of alcohol in his blood, shall forfeit his right to operate a motor vehicle over the highways of this State or shall be prohibited from obtaining a license to operate a motor vehicle in this State for a period of not less than 30 or more than 90 days beginning on the date he becomes eligible to obtain a license or on the day of conviction, whichever is later, and shall perform community service for a period of not less than 15 or more than 30 days.

In addition, the person shall satisfy the program and fee requirements of an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center or participate in a program of alcohol education and highway safety as prescribed by the chief administrator.

The penalties provided under the provisions of this section shall be in addition to the penalties which the court may impose under N.J.S.2C:33-15, R. S.33:1-81, R.S.39:4-50 or any other law.