As a DWI/Criminal Defense Attorney here in the Twin Cities for over 16 years, I was extremely happy to learn last week that the Minnesota State government shut-down had finally ended. It had created several problems for those who had recently been charged or convicted of a Minnesota DWI offense. This was exaggerated by the fact that the New Minnesota DUI Laws came into effect only within a few days of the shut-down.
First, for those drivers that had recently resolved their DWI criminal cases, just prior to the shut-down, and as result qualified for an administrative reduction in their driver’s license revocation periods, unfortunately were left having to continue serving a license revocaton periods that should have ended earlier. In addition, those who did receive the revocation reduction prior to the shut-down were still unable to get reinstated because they weren’t able to take the tests or pay the fees required for a full-reinstatement due to the testing centers being closed.
Second, as has been discussed on our site previously, the new dwi laws in Minnesota came into effect on July 1st, 2011. This will change the driver’s license landscape for most levels of DWI offenders. For example, those offenders now facing very lengthy license revocations are now able to enroll in the ignition interlock program to be able to drive a lot sooner than they otherwise would be allowed. However, with the shut-down, these drivers were unable to enroll in the program and take advantage of the driver’s license benefits.
In summarry, in light of the new laws in Minnesota regarding license revocations and the interlock program, the government shut-down seems to have added more chaos to the situation. Now with the government up and running, the questions with regard to the new laws and the it’s true impact will begin to be answered.
If you or someone you know has been charged with a DWI in Minnesota, it’s extremely important that they seek the advice of a skilled DWI/DUI Attorney. Our firm has been defending DWI cases in the State of Minnesota for well over 16 years. We are very attentive to our clients and can be reached for an initial free consultation at (952) 835-6314.
