An arrest for driving while intoxicated, DWI, in North Carolina can have many serious consequences. If you are convicted, you face the loss of your license, fines and administrative fees, as well as possible jail time. You can also expect to pay higher insurance premiums, which can amount to tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. Fortunately, the skilled DWI defense lawyers at Sherrill & Cameron, PLLC fight hard to save your inconvenience, grief, and expense. We challenge all aspects of the state’s case against you and force them to prove their case beyond a shadow of a doubt. We are local to Salisbury, so we can respond when you need us most, and we continue to work closely with you until your case is resolved. Although no attorney can ever promise a result, we have a long record of accomplishment, and we are determined to use our considerable skills to achieve the best possible outcome.
In recent years the North Carolina legislature has been very active in passing laws to punish DWI convictions with increasing severity. To protect your rights, the first thing we do is review the offense report and your driving record to see exactly what kind of trouble you’re in. North Carolina does not refer to “extreme” or “aggravated DUI/DWI” as other jurisdictions do. Rather, there are five separate levels of punishment for driving while impaired, with increasingly severe consequences based on several factors, such as:
Depending on the facts of your case, you can be charged at any of these levels:
At Sherrill & Cameron, PLLC, we take advantage of every opportunity your case presents to avoid the worst consequences of a DWI conviction. If there is reason to believe that a sobriety checkpoint was improperly conducted, or if there was no probable cause to stop your car in the first place, we will try to get the whole case thrown out on constitutional grounds. If the evidence instead suggests that there were problems with the administration, storage or analysis of a breath or blood test, we can present those problems before a jury to put the government’s case against you in doubt.
We also represent people charged with major crimes such as vehicular homicide or assault related to drunk driving. Our experience with the defense of violent felony offenses can make a significant difference in your favor if you were involved in an alcohol-related crash.
Some drivers think if they go into court with a criminal defense attorney for a DWI or a driving infraction, they are somehow admitting guilt. They have the mistaken idea they’d be better off just talking it out with the judge. This couldn’t be more wrong. Coming to court with an attorney indicates you understand the gravity of the situation; choosing to represent yourself would seem to imply you haven’t given the matter much weight.
Depending on the facts of the case, we can often deliver a better-than-expected result. We start by addressing points you might not have considered:
A negative answer to any of these questions could damage the prosecution’s case completely. This is where our experience in managing DUI/DWI cases gives us an advantage. But, even if critical facts go against you, we can still present you and your case in the most favorable light, which may spare you the most severe consequences.
North Carolina’s drunk driving laws are more complicated than ever, but there are viable legal defenses. By retaining Sherrill & Cameron, PLLC, you can get every advantage you need. Call us today at 704-633-5723 or contact our Salisbury office online to schedule an appointment.