DWI SOLUTIONS AND ALCOHOL MONITORING

What is a DWI?
It is illegal to drive, operate, or be in control of any motor vehicle while you are under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance or a hazardous substance. You will be charged with a DWI by having an alcohol concentration of .08, having any amount of metabolites or controlled substance in the body driving a commercial vehicle, than you can’t have an alcohol concentration of .04 or more. A DWI can also be charged when you refuse to submit to a test.

Defendants who are charged with driving under the influence are often given the option of being released on conditions to secure their release from custody. Those conditions often include an alcohol monitor, random urinalysis and meeting with a pre-trail release agent. With multiple DWI offenses, options become more limited. In this scenario, posting bail may simply get them out of custody yet still requiring use of an alcohol monitor while out of custody.

Reasons to Discontinue an Alcohol Monitoring Device
There may be several reasons why a defendant would want to, or even need to discontinue an alcohol monitoring device. A defendant may find that the cost of the program is prohibitive. There is an initial rental fee, as well as daily and monthly fees- both varying by county. Fees can range from just a few dollars a day, all the way up to $600 per month! More often than not, you will save money by posting bond instead of staying on the monitor. Another reason that you may need to post bond is that you may find that the concentrated monitoring schedule conflicts with your employment. Finally, some defendants feel that the monitoring device is unjust, because it equates to serving a sentence before a conviction of the charge.