New York State has some of the toughest DWI laws in the nation. Even a first time offender faces harsh consequences including a revocation of your driver’s license for six months, fines up to $1,000, mandated participation in various rehabilitation programs, costly installation of an “ignition interlock” device on your vehicle, probation, and even jail time in some cases. In New York City, the NYPD can even take your vehicle and forfeit it under the theory that your vehicle is the “instrumentality of a crime.” If you have been charged with DWI, you must be represented by an attorney with specialized knowledge in this area of law, in order to have a fighting chance.
