Police officers in Dunellen make few arrests for DWI. Note that DUI, DWI, and drunk driving are all the same in New Jersey and refer to N.J.S.A. 39:4-50. Many of these take place following traffic stops along Route 22 along with Routes 28, 529, 601 and 665. If you are charged with a DWI in Dunellen Borough, call now to speak with a Dunellen DWI lawyer before you go to court for your first appearance.
After you are charged with a DWI in Dunellen, you will be scheduled for a first appearance ("arraignment") Dunellen Municipal Court. Your appearance at this hearing may be waived if your attorney sends a letter of representation to the court. If you decide to appear by yourself, you should plead not-guilty and then consider hiring an attorney. It is sometimes possible to beat a DWI charge altogether. In other cases, the breath test or blood test results can be challenged. There are other defenses, all depending on the specific facts of your case.
The penalties for a dwi conviction in New Jersey are severe. For a first offense, you must lost your drivers license from 90 days to 1-year depending on your blood alcohol content and the facts of the case. Substantial financial sanctions can be imposed. You must attend the intoxicated driver's resource center. You must pay the DMV $1,000 surcharge every year for three years. You can also go to jail (usually unlikely). The penalties only get worse for second, third and subsequent offenses. A second offense carries a mandatory 30 days community service and jail. A third offense carries a driver's license suspension of 10-years and six months in jail.
