In New Jersey, there is a 10-year window in which a second DWI arrest will be considered a second offense.
DWI arrests that happen more than 10 years after the first are considered first offenses.
If you are convicted of DWI as a two-time offender, you will face much stiffer penalties than you did the first time around.
For starters, the mandatory license suspension for a second offense is two years, and you can face up to 90 days in jail.
Fines, fees, and surcharges go up considerably too, and you’ll likely spend several thousand dollars on those alone.
You’ll face 30 days of community service, and once your license is reinstated (two years later) you’ll drive with an ignition interlock device – that you pay to rent and maintain – for as long as three years.
An arrest is not a conviction, and in New Jersey, it is possible to successfully defend yourself against DWI charges, even as a second offender.
Call attorney Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9660 and talk to one of New Jersey’s most experienced DWI defense attorneys.