Sciarrino & Sciarrino, P.C.

Please Call : 585-658-2161

Defend your DWI with an experienced Rochester drunk driving law firm

If you have been charged with Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) then you need to prepare to defend yourself as well as possible. It is important to find a New York drunk driving lawyer with the experience and know-how to help you.

A conviction under New York’s DWI law is very serious. It is a criminal offense with significant penalties. If you have been arrested for driving while intoxicated you are at risk not just for increased insurance premiums and a suspended license, but also for jail time and a substantial fine.

Learn about New York DWI law and defenses

You can learn about New York DWI law from this website:

• To learn whether the officer had a right to stop you, look here.
• To learn about Field Sobriety Tests, look here.
• To prepare for your first meeting with your DWI lawyer, look here.

Get the right lawyer to defend your DWI charge

Don’t take chances when you select the lawyer to defend you on a drunk driving charge.

For this critical time in your life you want to find the right person for the job. It is essential that your DWI lawyer be:

• Experienced in dealing with New York DWI cases.
• Experienced in working with the prosecutors and judges in your area.

Get a free evaluation from an established Rochester/Mt. Morris/Perry DWI defense firm

The New York law firm of Sciarrino & Sciarrino, P.C., has been serving the western New York area since 1963, and now has offices in Rochester, Mt. Morris, and Perry. We are here to defend you at this difficult time in your life.

If you are not already represented by a New York DWI and DWAI defense lawyer and want our evaluation, give us a brief description of your claim using the form to the right. Or you may contact us at:

Sciarrino & Sciarrino, P.C.
DWI defense lawyers for western New York

Please Call : 585-658-2161

Attorney Profile

Our experience with New York drunk driving cases

Raymond P. Sciarrino

The law firm of Sciarrino & Sciarrino, P.C., has been serving western New York since 1963 when it was started by my father, Raymond L. Sciarrino. I graduated from Cornell Law School and then joined the firm in 1995.

My law practice is concentrated on criminal defense and Social Security disability cases. I maintain membership in the following professional organizations:

• The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL).
• The New York State Defender’s Association (NYSDA).
• The Livingston County Bar Association (past Vice President).
• The Monroe County Bar Association.
• The Wyoming County New York Bar Association.
• The Livingston County Magistrates Association (past President).
• The American Bar Association.
• The New York State Bar Association.
• The New York State Magistrates Association.
• National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR).

I am ready to help you with your DWI or DWAI case.

Ray Sciarrino

Sciarrino & Sciarrino, P.C.
DWI defense lawyers for western New York

Please Call : 585-658-2161

Our experience with New York drunk driving cases

The law firm of Sciarrino & Sciarrino, P.C., has been serving western New York since 1963 when it was started by my father, Raymond L. Sciarrino. I graduated from Cornell Law School and then joined the firm in 1995.

My law practice is concentrated on criminal defense and Social Security disability cases. I maintain membership in the following professional organizations:

• The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL).
• The New York State Defender’s Association (NYSDA).
• The Livingston County Bar Association (past Vice President).
• The Monroe County Bar Association.
• The Wyoming County New York Bar Association.
• The Livingston County Magistrates Association (past President).
• The American Bar Association.
• The New York State Bar Association.
• The New York State Magistrates Association.
• National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR).

I am ready to help you with your DWI or DWAI case.

Ray Sciarrino

Sciarrino & Sciarrino, P.C.
DWI defense lawyers for western New York

Penalties for New York drunk driving convictions

New York law imposes severe penalties on convictions of both DWAI (Driving While Ability Impaired) and DWI (Driving While Intoxicated). The penalties consist of monetary fines and/or jail sentences, as well as license suspensions or revocations.

The law is very specific about the penalties, but it is also somewhat complicated because the penalties vary based on the type of offense, the blood alcohol content, and whether or not there have been prior offenses. This article provides some general information about DWAI and DWI penalties, but you should check with your New York drunk driving lawyer for the exact penalties that may apply to you.

DWAI and DWI fines

All DWAI and DWI convictions come with the possibility of a monetary fine. The amount of the fine increases with second or third offenses. For first offenses, the fines are as follows:

• DWAI (alcohol): $300 to $500.
• DWI: $500 to $1000.
• DWAI (drug or alcohol and drug combined): $500 to $1000.
• Aggravated DWI: $1000 to $2500.

Jail sentence

The penalties for DWAI and DWI convictions include a fine or a jail sentence, or both a fine and a jail sentence. As with fines, the amount of the jail sentence increases with second or third offenses. For first offenses, the jail sentences are as follows:

• DWAI (alcohol): up to 15 days.
• DWI: up to 1 year.
• DWAI (drug or alcohol and drug combined): up to 1 year.
• Aggravated DWI: up to 1 year.

Driver’s license suspension or revocation

For first offenses, the driver’s license suspensions or revocations for people age 21 or older are as follows:

• DWAI (alcohol): 90 day suspension.
• DWI: minimum 6 month revocation.
• DWAI (drug or alcohol and drug combined): minimum 6 month revocation.
• Aggravated DWI: minimum 1 year revocation.

The minimum driver’s license revocations are longer for people under the age of 21.

Other repercussions

In addition to the fine and/or jail sentences imposed by New York law, there are other financial repercussions of a drunk driving conviction. These include:

• Towing and impound costs for your car.
• Court costs and attorney fees.
• Fees for alcohol or drug programs.
• Increase in the cost of car insurance.

Get help with your New York DWAI or DWI charge

If you are not already represented by a New York drunk driving lawyer, consider asking for our evaluation of your case. Complete the short Case Evaluation Form to the right, or you may e-mail or call our office at:

Sciarrino & Sciarrino, P.C.
DWI defense lawyers for western New York

The basics of New York drunk driving law

New York VAT Law section 1192 contains the New York law regarding operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This law states in specific detail what must be proven to convict you of drunk driving .

DWAI, DWI, and DUI all mean drunk driving , but are slightly different

Drunk driving in New York can go under a different acronyms, with slightly different meanings:

• DWAI = Driving While Ability Impaired. There are three different parts of the statute that refer to Driving While Ability Impaired. It is against the law to operate a vehicle when your ability is impaired by (1) alcohol, (2) drugs, and (3) the combined influence of drugs or of alcohol and any drug or drugs.
  
• DWI = Driving While Intoxicated. There are two parts of the statute that refer to Driving While Intoxicated. One part of the statute presumes that you are intoxicated when you have a certain percent of alcohol in your blood. Another part of the statute says simply that it is against the law to operate a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated condition.
  
• DUI = These initials stand for Driving Under the Influence , and are commonly used in the United States to refer to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. However, this phrase is not used in the New York statute, so it has no specific definition in New York.

Statutory presumption of intoxication from alcohol

Some of the DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) parts of the law regarding operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs contain a presumption that a person who has a certain percentage of alcohol in their blood is intoxicated.

The measurement of the percentage of alcohol in a person’s blood is done by chemical analysis of the person’s blood, breath, urine, or saliva.

Defend yourself by getting an experienced New York DWI lawyer

If you are not already represented by a New York drunk driving lawyer, consider asking for our evaluation of your case. Complete the short Case Evaluation Form to the right, or you may e-mail or call our office at:

Sciarrino & Sciarrino, P.C.
DWI defense lawyers for western New York

Mt. Morris NY DUI Lawyer