02 September

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Holiday DWI

Name: The Coffey Firm
Price range: $$$

Any holiday, no matter how major or minor, is a risky time to be on the road. Police tend to be out in full force for Holiday DWI arrests. In fact, many holidays in Texas are called "no refusal weekends" to try and scare drivers. However, "no refusal weekends" are a lie. You always have the right to refuse and force the police to get a warrant to draw blood. This is the same thing that happens every day of the year, not just on holidays. That said, holidays tend to be the time when police are actively searching to pile...

23 August

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ALR Notice Update

Posted by Mimi Coffey

in Helpful Legal Information

Recently, the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) has moved to using eFile for ALRs. Before then, everything was handled by fax. This move to eFile has caused some issues for both DPS and ALR Lawyers. Recently, Amended Notices of Hearing are being sent to our clients rather than to our office. The Amended Notice of Hearing is the letter that provides the ALR second setting after the first setting is "5 day'd" (meaning we use our 5 day continuance that we are entitled to request). While our office receives the new dates through an eFiled order, the letters still...

12 August

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Golf Cart DWI

Posted by Mimi Coffey

in Helpful Legal Information

Occasionally, police make DWI arrests for people driving a golf cart. However, whether a golf cart satisfies the requirements for a DWI is a strange question. DWI requires 1) operating, 2) a motor vehicle, 3) in a public place. Driving a golf cart would count as operation. However, is a golf cart a "motor vehicle" for purposes of a DWI? Also, what is a "public place" in relation to golf carts? What is a 'Public Place'? Unfortunately, the "public place" requirement is a somewhat low bar, as courts generally hold that any place that is readily accessible by the public is, well,...

23 May

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The Problem with Aggravated Assault and DWI

Posted by Mimi Coffey

in Helpful Legal Information

[vc_row triangle_shape="no"][vc_column][vc_column_text]The law is very unethical when it comes to Aggravated Assault when mixed with DWI. Intoxication Assault There is a specific crime, called "Intoxication Assault," that combines assault with DWI and is a 2nd degree felony. Intoxication Assault requires serious bodily injury (SBI), which generally means broken bones, amputations, and other injuries that one might consider serious. A simple accident involving some cuts and bruises is not enough for Intoxication Assault, meaning the State should only have the ability to charge for DWI. There is one major problem with this, however. Aggravated Assault Even if the State cannot prove SBI, they law provides...

15 February

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Heavy Winds and DWI

Posted by Mimi Coffey

in Helpful Legal Information

[caption id="attachment_7336" align="alignleft" width="252"] Be Careful! Heavy winds and DWI or BWI are often related.[/caption] Heavy winds and DWI sometimes go together because heavy winds can have a large effect on a person's ability to drive. A common reason for a DWI stop is "swerving," but there are many potential reasons for that aside from intoxication. Heavy wind is one of those potential reasons. This can often be more true for Commercial Truck Drivers. With Texas weather, there can sometimes be no telling when a storm will hit. But, almost anyone who has decided to drive during a storm will say that...

30 January

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5 Scary Facts About a DWI in Texas

Posted by Mimi Coffey

in Helpful Legal Information

[vc_row triangle_shape="no"][vc_column][vc_single_image image="7282" img_size="medium" alignment="center"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row triangle_shape="no"][vc_column][vc_column_text] 1. What? Why are police arresting me for a DWI in Texas even though I only take my prescription? The State often prosecutes cases when medications in a person's blood are in therapeutic range. Why? A state toxicologist, without any reference to a person's medication history (tolerance) will rely on the police report! This is not science. Mimi has won DWI in Texas cases on this. 2. What? Why are police arresting me for Texas DWI when I am responsibly sitting in my car calling an Uber? Asleep at the Wheel. The police will arrest a person in...

14 January

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Will You Parole Early? See TDCJ’s Consideration Chart

Posted by Mimi Coffey

in Helpful Legal Information

Convictions involving assaults, specifically family violence, carry a heavier price than many other convictions. Among the most important price is eligibility for parole early. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has a "severity" chart that emphasizes offenses involving assault, even those you may not first think would count. For example, TDCJ considers Online Solicitation of a Minor an "assault" offense even though that offense does not involve physical contact. While not all of these offenses themselves are "3g" offenses for the purpose of parole eligibility, they are the offenses that very often contain a "deadly weapon" finding, which also impacts...

06 December

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Texas DWI License Suspensions for Minors

Posted by Mimi Coffey

in Helpful Legal Information

In many ways, Texas DWI is the same for both adults and minors. In other ways, a Texas DWI license suspensions for minors can be more favorable. DWI vs. DUI: What is the Difference? One thing to keep in mind, though, is that a DUI and a DWI are not the same. A DUI occurs when a minor has any detectable amount of alcohol in their system while driving, but might not be fully intoxicated. A DUI is a Class C Misdemeanor (same level as a traffic ticket). As an illustration, a DUI might occur when a parent lets a minor have...

18 November

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DWI Lawyer Straight Talk

Posted by Mimi Coffey

in Helpful Legal Information

DWI Lawyer Straight Talk The following questions are normal questions that most everyone thinks about when it comes to hiring a DWI lawyer or a criminal defense lawyer. Granted, not everyone is intoxicated but for those who are, this is a very embarrassing experience. Even when it comes to other types of offenses, it is natural to feel shame. I hope the following will help you. I am afraid that my DWI Lawyer will think that I am an idiot/stupid/wild/crazy… when the offense happened, and I don’t want to have to go over the evidence with her. Please know that what...

09 November

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DWI Eye Test: Unrelated to Driving Ability

Posted by Mimi Coffey

in Helpful Legal Information

The DWI Eye Test is very misleading. The reliance of the DWI Eye Test is now past a "common misconception" and has now become a major lie. Many officers and prosecutors claim that HGN is the "best DWI test" for finding out if a person is DWI. They claim that anyone who has HGN is unsafe to drive and try to put the test on a pedestal. However, the DWI Eye Test has absolutely nothing to do with a person's ability to drive safely. Even in the many (flawed) verification studies, the primary purpose of the eye test is to...