Criminal Defense, DWI & Traffic
I have been charged. What happens now?
The first thing worth knowing is what you are actually charged with, because people routinely misjudge it in both directions. A DWI is not a traffic ticket — it is a criminal charge, and a conviction is a criminal record. A speeding ticket is not a crime, but enough points will still cost you your licence. Both start with a piece of paper telling you to appear somewhere on a date, and neither improves by being ignored.
What this covers
- DWI and DWAI — including the DMV refusal proceeding, which runs separately from the criminal case
- Misdemeanours and violations
- Traffic tickets, points, and licence suspension
- Arraignment and what happens at a first appearance
- Suffolk County district, town and village courts, and the Traffic and Parking Violations Agency
When it is worth a call
- You have been arrested or given an appearance ticket
- You have been charged with DWI, or refused a chemical test
- You are close to the points threshold, or your licence is already suspended
- A court date is coming and you do not know what happens there
Talk it through with Mitch
Bring the situation, not a diagnosis. A short conversation usually makes the next step obvious.