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What Are the Legal Penalties for a First-Time DUI/DWI Conviction in New Jersey

Mar 26, 2025

What Are the Potential Fines? How Much Jail Time Can You Face? Are There Other Criminal Sanctions? You’ve been pulled over by police. Maybe it was for a minor traffic violation, or maybe they suspected you were driving while impaired. They asked if you’d been drinking, and you admitted that you had. They had you submit to a blood alcohol content (BAC) test, and you came in above the legal limit. It’s never happened to...

Will a DUI/DWI Become Part of a Permanent Record in New Jersey?

Mar 22, 2025

Will It Give You a Criminal Record? Can It Be Found on a Background Check? The potential consequences of a conviction for drunk driving in New Jersey are significant. In addition to fines and potential jail time, you can lose your driving privileges, and the conviction may negatively affect certain professional licenses. Will the DUI/DWI become part of a permanent record that potential employers and others can see? Will you have to live with the...

New Jersey Lifts Ban on Plea Bargains for DWI Cases

Mar 7, 2025

N.J. Supreme Court Opinion Withdraws Restriction in DWI Prosecutions When you’ve been charged with a crime, one of the options your attorney may present to you is the opportunity to enter into a plea bargain, where you agree to admit to a lesser offense in exchange for the dismissal of more serious charges. Until recently, though, such an approach was unavailable to individuals in New Jersey facing prosecution for driving while intoxicated (DWI). In February...

Are Sobriety Checkpoints Legal in New Jersey?

Feb 1, 2025

Can Law Enforcement Officers Legally Screen Drivers for DUI/DWI? In previous blogs, we have stressed that, in order to pull you over while driving, police officers must have reasonable suspicion to believe that you have committed or are committing a crime, traffic violation or other infraction. Law enforcement officers cannot randomly single you out and try to determine if you’re driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. But what about a...

Getting Your Driving Privileges Back after a DUI in New Jersey

Dec 30, 2024

How Soon Can You Get Your Driving Privileges Reinstated? What Limitations Will You Have on Driving? One of the most challenging consequences of getting a DUI in New Jersey is the impact it will have on your ability to drive. When you can’t get behind the wheel, it can be difficult or expensive to get to work or to do the other things you need to do every day. How soon can you start driving...

Seasons Greetings – Happy New Year 2025

Dec 24, 2024

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What Is Required for a Valid Traffic Stop in New Jersey

Dec 23, 2024

When Can a Police Officer Pull You Over? Are Random Traffic Stops Allowed? You’re out for the evening or running an errand and suddenly see red lights flashing in your rearview mirror. You’re not aware of any law you were violating? What do law enforcement officers need to show to be legally permitted to initiate a traffic stop? Can police officers randomly pull motorists over to check for substance abuse? The Constitutional Requirements When Making...

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Tests in New Jersey

Nov 27, 2024

What Is Their Purpose? Can You Legally Refuse to Take One? Can They Be Contested in Court? You’ve been stopped by law enforcement officers. As a routine part of the traffic stop, the officer inquires if you’ve been drinking. When you answer affirmatively, the officer tells you that you must submit to an onsite blood alcohol test. What is the purpose of the BAC test? Can you refuse to take the test? If you take...

Happy Thanksgiving

Nov 27, 2024

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Field Sobriety Tests in New Jersey

Nov 22, 2024

What Is the Purpose of a Field Sobriety Test? What Tests Are Commonly Used? What Happens If You Refuse to Take a Field Sobriety Test? You’ve been pulled over by police…maybe you were speeding or maybe you forgot to use your turn signal. The officer asks if you’ve been drinking and you honestly admit that you have. The officer then asks you to get out of the car, so that a field sobriety test can...