Being convicted on DWI charges here in Texas can have many ramifications. This includes major impacts on a person’s finances. A DWI can be a very expensive conviction.
First off, a DWI conviction typically comes with a fine. For a standard first offense of DWI, this fine can be as high as $2,000.
Certain situations can expose a person to an even larger fine. One is if he or she has a prior DWI record. The maximum fine jumps to $4,000 for a second DWI offense and $10,000 for a third offense.
The maximum fine also rises to $10,000 if it is found that a person committed the DWI offense when there was a child under 15 in his or her vehicle.
And fines are not the only fees a person can be assessed for a DWI conviction in Texas. One example is that there is also the fee for retaining a driver’s license. This is a fee charged annually over a three-year period. This fee’s amount can be $1,000, $1,500, or $2,000 a year depending on the circumstances.
It is also important to note that fines and fees are not the only ways that a DWI can impact a person’s pocketbook. There are a range of added costs a DWI conviction can expose a person to. Some examples include:
- The costs of finding alternate transportation during a license suspension
- Upped car insurance rates for having a DWI on record
- Wage losses if the conviction leads to employment problems
Given these things, what defense strategies a person pursues when facing DWI charges, and how effective these strategies prove to be, can matter greatly when it comes to his or her financial future.