Madison Second DWI Offense Lawyer

Arrested, Charged with 2nd DWI Morris County – Need Lawyer

Have you received a ticket for drunk driving (DWI) and this is your second offense? You need a lawyer to fight these charges for you in court.

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) charges in New Jersey are extremely serious. If you are convicted as a Repeat Offender, you could go to jail for 90 days. At a minimum, there is a two-day mandatory term of imprisonment. Additionally, as you may already know, simply being arrested for suspicion of DWI will leave you with a permanent mark on your record. A subsequent DWI conviction will leave an entry on your NJ Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) driver’s abstract. These entries can have a lifelong impact on your family, friends, and employment. You need an experienced team of NJ DWI lawyers to fight the charges.

The Tormey Law Firm is a team of experienced criminal defense and drunk driving attorneys, who have been representing clients throughout New Jersey for years. We have represented thousands of clients charged with alcohol-related offenses, including refusal to submit to a breath test, DWI in a school zone, and underage DWI in Mount Olive, Dover, Madison, Parsippany, and Morristown. In fact, our founding partner Travis J. Tormey, is one of the few NJ attorneys who are certified Alcotest 7110 operators, the breath-testing device used throughout the State. As a result, Mr. Tormey knows the components of the machine, how it works, and if there are any issues with the functioning of the breath-testing device. This knowledge and expertise can be used to attack the reliability of the breath-test result in your case.

Here at the Tormey Law Firm, we understand that a DWI charge can happen to anyone. If you or a loved one has been charged with a driving while intoxicated offense in New Jersey, contact the Tormey Law Firm at 866-949-6948 for a free consultation, or you can use the online contact form.

Second Offense DWI in New Jersey: The Statute

A second offense driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge in New Jersey is governed by N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 which provides, in pertinent part:

§ 39:4-50. Driving while Intoxicated (DWI)

(2) For a second violation, a person shall be subject to a fine of not less than $500.00 nor more than $1,000.00, and shall be ordered by the court to perform community service for a period of 30 days, which shall be of such form and on such terms as the court shall deem appropriate under the circumstances, and shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than 48 consecutive hours, which shall not be suspended or served on probation, nor more than 90 days, and shall forfeit his right to operate a motor vehicle over the highways of this State for a period of one to two years upon conviction, and, after the expiration of said period, he may make application to the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission for a license to operate a motor vehicle, which application may be granted at the discretion of the chief administrator, consistent with subsection (b) of this section. For a second violation, a person also shall be required to install an ignition interlock device under the provisions of P.L.1999, c. 417 (C.39:4-50.16 et al.) or shall have his registration certificate and registration plates revoked for two years under the provisions of section 2 of P.L.1995, c. 286 (C.39:3-40.1).

Penalties for a Second Offense DWI in New Jersey

• Imprisonment: For not less than 48 consecutive hours, which shall not be suspended or served on probation, nor more than 90 days.
• Suspension: NJ driver’s license or NJ driving privileges will be suspended for one to two (2) years.
• Community Service: 30 days, the judge may order participation in a supervised visitation program as either a condition of probation or a form of community service.
• Ignition Interlock Device: 2-4 years
• IDRC: Must comply with the screening, evaluation, and referral requirements of the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC). If these requirements are not met, then mandatory two-day term of imprisonment and driver’s license suspension until requirements are satisfied.

Monetary Penalties for Second Offense DWI/DUI

• Fine – $500 to $1,000
• Violent Crimes Compensation Board (VCCB) – $50
• Drunk Driving Enforcement Fund (DDEF) – $100
• Safe Neighborhood Services Fund (SNSF) – $75
• Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Fund (AERF) – $100
• Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC) – $280 fee
• MVC Surcharge – $1,000/year for three years

Note: Failure to pay DUI surcharges will result in:

• Indefinite suspension of driving privileges.
• Action filed in State Superior Court by MVC. This may include securing a lien against your property, garnishing your wages, or other similar action.

Contact a Dover DWI Lawyer for Immediate Assistance 

The qualified DUI/DWI attorneys at the Tormey Law Firm will use our best defense strategies to challenge the State and fight to get the NJ DWI charges against you dismissed. For instance, if your first DWI offense was committed 10 or more years ago and you commit another DWI offense, your new offense can be treated as a first offense based on a “10-year step-down” rule.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a DUI/DWI in New Jersey, contact the Tormey Law Firm at 866-949-6948 for a free consultation, or you can use the online contact form.