Minnesota DWI Lawyer in Ramsey County and St. Paul
Protecting Your Driving Privileges after a DWI in Minnesota
Safeguarding Your Rights After a DWI in Ramsey County
A successful conviction for a Minnesota DWI can seriously alter your life for the worse. The consequences could include the loss of your driver’s license, impoundment of license plates, vehicle seizure, large fines, increased auto insurance, and even jail-time. The state DWI laws are often quite complicated, you will need an experienced St. Paul DWI attorney with a focus on drunk driving law, to prepare your defense and protect your rights and future.
- Halberg Criminal Defense was named “Best Law Firm” by US News and World Report
- Largest criminal defense law firm in Minnesota with more than 120 years of combined criminal trial experience
- Track-record of success handling drunk driving cases in Minnesota
- Attorney Jeremy Kaschinske is one of four Minnesota defense attorneys who is certified on the DMT Breath Machine
- Free Consultation to discuss your DWI case when you call (612) 424-7644 or when you fill out the consultation request form to the left
The St. Paul DWI attorneys with Halberg Criminal Defense are up to date with the latest laws and defense strategies. They are highly experienced and dedicated to providing the strongest defense to their clients accused of criminal charges. The Halberg Criminal Defense was honored by being named one of the “Best Law Firms” in U.S. News and World Reports Best Law Firms Edition. The firm was ranked as a “First Tier” firm in the category of DWI Defense.
About Drunk Driving in Minnesota
Halberg Criminal Defense will tirelessly defend their clients against the consequences of a DWI charge. The group has a strong reputation for their successful results, and are known as some of the best attorneys in the state. The group’s clients receive a comprehensive legal representation from the staff and attorneys at Halberg Criminal Defense. They have defended clients accused of first-time DUI/DWI/Drunk Driving violations to repeat offenses as well as felony cases that carry heavy penalties, including a jail or prison sentence.
Chemical Testing
The process of breath and blood testing is how arresting officers and later, the prosecutor, will attempt to prove your guilt. Even when this evidence is obtained, do not give up hope. The St. Paul DWI attorneys with Halberg Criminal Defense are experienced with challenging the results of a chemical test in court. There are various reasons why a chemical test might be deemed inadmissible in a court of law. Blood test results may be compromised by a test-tube which was not properly sterilized. A lack of preservatives and anticoagulants can also lead to a false reading. Alcohol swabs may also interfere with the reading and accidentally cause an increase in BAC. A breath test may fail if the breathalyzer was not properly maintained or calibrated.
Accidents and DWI
An accident with DWI will increase the penalties of your charge. Depending on the specifics. You must enlist the assistance of a skilled St. Paul DWI attorney. Halberg Criminal Defense has successfully defended hundreds of clients accused of drunk driving charges involving accident. This can spare your license from being revoked, and from having to pay large fines and potentially from being incarcerated.
DWI With Drugs
Although unlike alcohol in their effects and the chemical testing process, both legal and illegal drugs can affect your ability to operate your vehicle. You can be charged with a DWI if found to be under the influence of drugs. The St. Paul DWI attorneys with Halberg Criminal Defense have experience defending clients accused of driving under the influence of drugs. Alcohol is measured with breathalyzer devices and blood tests, however drug testing does not work the same way. Because the chemical testing process is much different than alcohol, a DWI drug charge may not automatically follow with the suspension of your license.
Administrative Sanctions
Minnesota law has certain administrative sanctions that may affect you independently of any criminal penalty you may have received. There are three of these sanctions defined in state law:
1) Administrative License Revocation
This sanction is invoked in a state that has ‘implied consent’ laws. Upon refusal or failure of a chemical test, your driver’s license may be taken and revoked on the spot. You will be issued a seven day license until the revocation is processed.
2) Administrative License Plate Impoundment
If you have been arrested for a DWI involving an aggravating factor such as an underage passenger in the vehicle, a BAC of .20% or more, or if you’ve caused an accident, then you may be subject to license plate impoundment. This impoundment may be applied to any vehicle you own, lease, or register which is under your name or jointly held with your name.
3) Administrative Vehicle Forfeiture
Minnesota law states that your vehicle may be seized and your license revoked after multiple DWI violations in a period of ten years. Aggravating factors may worsen this charge.
About Halberg Criminal Defense
Call (612) 424-7644
The St. Paul DWI attorneys at Halberg Criminal Defense have over a hundred years of combined experience with criminal trials. Every attorney has an extensive background and the firm counts among its lawyers former city and county prosecutors and career defense attorneys, as well as notable speakers on the subject of criminal law.
Marsh Halberg
Marsh Halberg is a vastly experienced St. Paul DWI attorney. He has been involved in more than a hundred criminal jury trials as well as thousands of criminal court trials. He is the former Chief Prosecutor for the City of Edina and the Metropolitan Airports Commission. He is one of the most sought after legal education speakers on criminal law. He is the author of many training manuals and seminars. Marsh Halberg is also the editor-in-chief of The Minnesota DWI Deskbook.
Eric Nelson
St. Paul DWI attorney Eric Nelson focuses his practice on criminal defense. He has earned himself a strong reputation as a tough and skilled defender of his clients. Eric Nelson has defended his clients in criminal cases involving homicide, sex offenses, drugs charges, assault, and hundreds of traffic offenses involving alcohol. He is a frequent lecturer on the subject of DWI and drug charges, such as the production of methamphetamine. Eric Nelson has also served as a judge in moot court and mock trial competitions.
Tina Appleby
St. Paul DWI attorney Tina Appleby is a distinguished criminal defense attorney. She has practiced in this area of criminal defense for twenty-seven years. In this time she has made a name for herself as one of the premier female lawyers in the entire state of Minnesota. She has successfully handled over 2,000 cases including a murder case with three alleged victims. She has also handled DWI, traffic violations, assault, drug charges, and sex offenses throughout the state.
Doug Hazelton
For the last fifteen years, St. Paul DWI attorney Douglas Hazelton has practiced criminal defense with a particular focus on DWI. He has successfully defended hundreds of clients from criminal charges such as homicide, sex crimes, drug crimes, theft, and assault. He is one of only two defense attorneys in the state of Minnesota who has graduated from the Borkenstein program on the study of alcohol breath testing. He is a graduate of the National College for DUI Defense which was conducted at Harvard Law School. Doug Hazelton has been added to the list of Best Lawyers in America, as well as Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine’s list of “Superlawyers”.
Lee Orwig
Lee Orwig formerly worked for the Ramsey County judiciary and has served as mediator in several Hennepin County Courts. He has argued cases before the Minnesota Court of Appeals and in 2009 he successfully got his client acquitted before a Hennepin County jury of a DWI charge with a BAC of .08%.
Jeremy Kaschinske
St. Paul DWI attorney Jeremy Kaschinske is dedicated to defending his clients against criminal charges such as DWI, juvenile crimes, sex crimes, drug crimes, assault, and theft. He is vastly experienced in handling expungements and has successfully secured many of his clients from the negative effects of a criminal conviction.
Dave Risk began his career as a public defender in Ramsey County after he finished law school, where he placed seventh in his class. Two years later, he was teaching DWI defense courses to attorneys and in 2005, he joined a private criminal defense law firm where he focused much of his work in DWI and Implied Consent cases. He has been named a “SuperLawyer Rising Star” eight times and he is one of only a handful of attorneys in the state who has been certified as an operator on the Intoxilyzer 5000 EN and the DataMaster DMT-G.
Christina Zauhar obtained her law degree from Hamline University School of Law. She worked in many realms of the criminal justice system prior to joining Halberg Criminal Defense. She served as a Ramsey County Guardian ad Litem in juvenile court, a mediator in Ramsey, Hennepin, St. Louis, and Carlton counties, and also clerked for several prestigious law firms in the Twin Cities. Ms. Zauhar also worked as an associate in the Risk and Fraud department of Thomson Reuters. She holds a Certificate in Advocacy and Problem Solving. This certification includes alternative dispute resolution coursework and other practices such as mediation, negotiation, and arbitration.