Paul Ahern – Attorney – Experienced DWI Defense

Experienced DWI Defense

eMail: [email protected]
24 Hour phone: 952-473-5405

Over 35 Years of Legal Experience – Office in Minnetonka, Practicing Statewide Minnesota

Aggressive, Experienced DWI Defense

Former City Prosecutor (Cities in Lake Minnetonka Area)

Former County Prosecutor in Central Minnesota (Benton County)

Former Law Clerk/Legal Researcher for District Judges in Southwestern Minnesota

Chairman of Annual DWI Defense Seminar – Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice (2011-2017)

Lecturer at Minnesota Criminal Justice Institute

Top Rated

I CAN HELP RIGHT NOW

Since you are reading this, you or a loved one may be in serious trouble. Regardless of test results, refusals or record,

I CAN HELP RIGHT NOW!

Here are the immediate steps I routinely take in DWI cases.

1) Contact a Judge immediately to set bail that can get an accused driver out of jail fast.

2) For most accused of a DWI in some counties, promptly get your driver’s license and license plates reinstated without a reinstatement fee, ignition interlock, whiskey plates or other restrictions, while your case is pending.

3) Treating every case with the skill of 30-plus years in defending DWI cases. One of the many unsolicited thank-you notes from clients says: “You have made a really bad situation for me so much better by handling my case with such professionalism and care.”

Call me now on my 24 hour hotline 952-473-5405

NEWS ALERT – This Affects You, Whether You Refused a Test or Tested Over the Limit! Minnesota DWI Law Is Currently Under Review in the United States Supreme Court, Decision In the Next Few Months. The United States Supreme Court is currently reviewing Minnesota v. Bernard, to determine whether Minnesota is allowed to make it a crime to refuse a blood, breath or urine test. If that is deemed NOT to be constitutional, then your test result over .08 could also be thrown out, because it was obtained under the threat of that unconstitutional Refusal prosecution. Do not plea guilty or let the 30 day deadline pass. Call me for details. Paul B. Ahern 952-473-5405

 

PAUL B. AHERN DWI Defense

24 Hour DWI Hotline 952-473-5405

Late Night Testing Decisions – Weekend Jail Release

Aggressive and Experienced Criminal Defense for Over 35 Years

Driver’s License and License Plate Reinstatement (by Court Order!)

DWI – Alcohol and Drug Related Traffic Offenses

A DWI in the State of Minnesota is a serious crime that requires an aggressive and knowledgeable lawyer.

Drunk driving involves the act of operating and/or driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the degree that mental and motor skills are impaired. DWI laws also apply to recreational vehicles including boats, all-terrain vehicles and the piloting of an airplane.

Many judges will place a first-time offender in jail. There are increased penalties for repeat offenders and even first-time offenders who test .20 or more or who have a child under 16 in the vehicle. There are tough, mandatory jail terms even for persons convicted on a Second DWI.

Started on August 1, 2002, a Fourth DWI in Ten Years is a felony with a three year prison term. Furthermore, on August 1, 2005, the per se DWI alcohol concentration was reduced from .10 to .08. There are additional penalties to one’s driver’s license, motor vehicle license impoundment, higher insurance rates, and in many cases forfeiture of your automobile. In hiring a lawyer to defend your DWI case you should learn what that lawyer really plans to do to try to limit or eliminate these penalties.

Before you hire a Minnesota DWI lawyer, there are many important things to consider. These include experience, peer review as well as the terms and conditions of this important relationship. Of course you have more questions about your specific situation. Call me 24 hours a day!

3 Questions to ask before you hire your attorney

1- Does your fee include challenging the license revocation in court? That means an implied consent case started with a Petition for Judicial Review.

My Response: Yes, I will challenge it. Your license revocation can be used for purposes of higher insurance costs, motor vehicle forfeitures and increased future penalties. You have a thirty day time limit to have your lawyer challenge the revocation. It is important to act promptly in hiring a lawyer. Don’t wait a month or more or until your first court date to contact an attorney.

2 – Will you bill me more if you have to do “extra” work; i.e., researching legal issues, writing legal memoranda, arguing motions, rejecting unacceptable offers from prosecutors and judges and making additional court appearances, or even trying the case in a jury trial.

My Response: No, my fee is the same whether the case is settled to your satisfaction or whether we have to fight through a trial for anything we can get. I’m available to give proper legal representation, even through a jury trial. I don’t stop working in the trial courts until my client tells me to stop. Appeals to Court of Appeals and Supreme Courts and later probation violations are not included in my fee.

3 – Do you refer me to an independent alcohol assessment?

My Response: Yes, right away. At the end of your case (unless it is dismissed or you’re found Not Guilty on all charges), the judge is required by state law to send you into the probation department to determine if you have a drinking or drug problem. I send my clients into that meeting prepared. There are two good reasons to be prepared:

First, if you have a problem, find out right away and start addressing it. This will help to avoid a “surprise” in the probation office. Moreover, if you take the initiative it is less likely that you will end up in a program that you dislike. The program that you choose is more likely to be compatible with you rather than a program the court chooses for you. Finally, persons who successfully address their problems usually get better results in court than those who wait to be forced into the program of the court’s choice. One should not find it surprising that those who take responsibility for their actions by seeking treatment will benefit over those who are less responsible.

Second, if you do not believe that you have a problem, get assessed before going to court and arrive at court prepared with documentation of the absence of a problem. Generally, most first-time offenders and even many second-time offenders are not required to go to treatment. If the assessment finds a problem and you disagree with the assessment, you can call me back and tell me what a “bad assessment” it is and tell me to rip it up. I’ll probably have a little heart-to-heart talk with you first, but in the end I am ethically required not to disclose it. Now, compare that to going to court unprepared, getting assessed by the probation department and disagreeing with them, i.e., “Hey judge, who is this jerk you sent me to, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about – I don’t have a problem (or I’ll lose my job if I have to go to inpatient treatment . . .) – Judge just rip up that assessment.” Good luck! So much for self-representation in a DWI case.

Top Rated By Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review

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Paul Ahern Peer Review by Martindale-Hubell

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