Manchester DUI Attorney

Manchester NJ DWI Defense Attorneys

If you have been arrested in Manchester, NJ for Driving While Intoxicated, then it is likely that you have a lot of questions and many concerns. One thing is certain, however; you need to hire an experienced drunk driving defense lawyer to vigorously defend your charges. Contesting a DWI is a difficult uphill battle that may take months of court appearances and litigation. Our goal at William Proetta Criminal Law is to aggressively defend every client’s case by challenging the state’s evidence at every possible turn. Our lawyers are often able to accomplish this diligent work through experience, knowledge and a unique skill set that few attorneys in the entire state of New Jersey can match. Will Proetta, our firm’s founding lawyer, is a certified instructor of the SFST (standard field sobriety testing) in accordance with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. SFST is the protocol used by all New Jersey local and state police to administer to suspected DWI drivers. In addition, Mr. Proetta has been trained by Draeger Industries, the manufacturer of the Alcotest machine, on its functionality, design, and maintenance. The Alcotest is NJ’s version of the Breathalyzer. If you would like to learn more about how our attorneys can assist you or your loved one with these charges, please contact our local Toms River office at (848) 238-2100. Every initial consultation with an experienced DWI defense lawyer is free of charge.

For more Manchester, New Jersey DWI information, please feel free to visit our Ocean County DWI Resource and Ocean County DWI Penalties pages.

Drunk Driving Stops in Manchester New Jersey

As a large township consisting of various geographical areas including Cedar Glen Lakes, Cedar Glen West, Crestwood Village, Leisure Knoll, Leisure Village West-Pine Lake Park, and Pine Ridge at Crestwood, in addition to the entirety of the tiny separate Borough of Lakehurst, the Manchester Township Police Department and state police are very active on Route 37, Route 70, and CR 530; writing a significant number of tickets every year. In the event that you have been arrested for driving while intoxicated then you will be summoned to appear in the Manchester Municipal Court. The Manchester Township municipal prosecutor is not allowed to offer any plea-bargaining for DUI defendants in line with the guidelines of the AOC (administrative office of the courts). As such, fighting a DWI charge on your own very difficult. Making matters worse is the fact that you are not allowed a jury trial for drunk driving charges in New Jersey. Rather, your guilt or innocence will be decided at the sole discretion of the municipal judge. There is a potential 4 to 6-month loss of license for even a first time offense and additional penalties that include an interlock device installed in your car, mandatory drunk driving classes, community service, and thousands and fines and surcharges. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you avail yourself of the abilities of a skilled and aggressive DWI lawyer.

Manchester Township NJ Underage DWI lawyer

The mandatory penalties for first, second, and third offense DWIs are actually built in to the New Jersey statutes. This means that, unlike other charges that leave sentencing to the judge’s discretion, judges must sentence according to statute. For example, if your BAC reading is a .08% or .099% then you will be required to install an ignition interlock device in your car for a mandatory 90 days for a first offense. However if you’re reading is a .10% or higher, then you will be required to install an ignition interlock device in your car for at least seven months and up to one year for the same first offense. Moreover, if your breath test results indicate a BAC of 0.15% or above, you will lose your license for between 4 and 6 months, and then be required to install an ignition interlock device in your car for a period ranging from 9 months to 15 months. In you face a second offense DWI, you will lose your license for a mandatory period ranging from one to two years and be subject to a mandatory installation of an interlock device in your car for 2 to 4 years after that. The chance of jail time increases sharply as well. Third offense DWI charges result in a mandatory 8-year loss of license, plus 2 to 4 years during which you are required to have an ignition interlock device in your car. Further, you will go to Ocean county jail for a mandatory six months. As illustrated above, DWI penalties in New Jersey are severe. If you are facing these charges then you need a tough and experienced DWI defense attorney to fight them. To speak with our lawyers and build a case strategy customized to the particular facts of your case, please contact us at (848) 238-2100 for a free consultation.