By Jeff Kennedy
What Are No Refusal Weekends in Texas?
Consistent with the state of Texas’s aggressive prosecution of DWI offenses, no refusal weekends are an example of the lengths law enforcement are willing to go to crack down on intoxicated or drunk drivers.
No refusal weekends are times throughout the year in which your effective ability to decline a Blood Alcohol Content reading during a routine traffic stop.
Read on to learn more about no refusal weekends, and be sure to contact a reputable Fort Worth DWI lawyer if you’ve been arrested in Texas.
How Do No Refusal Weekends Work?
No refusal weekends happen at key moments throughout the year—such as holidays and special events—with the stated purpose of helping law enforcement facilitate the process of detaining and arresting alleged drunk drivers during high volume weekends.
During these weekends, law enforcement signals its intent to conduct routine traffic stops—at checkpoints or otherwise—in order to probe drivers for potential drunk driving offenses.
If you’re pulled over by the police during a no refusal weekend, it’s possible to refuse a breath or blood BAC test. However, unlike at other times, police on no refusal weekends will immediately contact a judge at any time of day in order to secure an arrest or detention warrant for a driver suspected of DWI.
Although you have a right to refuse testing during a routine traffic stop, the moment a warrant is signed by a judge, your ability to refuse testing changes. Failing to comply with a test after a warrant has been signed could result in additional charges being imposed.
For information on DWI laws, your right to refuse BAC tests, or to learn more about how a DWI lawyer can help you, you can contact an experienced DWI lawyer for more information.
Arrested for a DWI? Contact a Criminal Defense Lawyer
No refusal weekends highlight the importance of constant diligence on the roads. If you’ve been arrested on DWI during one of these high-volume weekends or at any other time, a DWI lawyer with The Law Offices of Jeff C. Kennedy can provide the robust defense you need.
Call 817-605-1010 or request more information by filling out the form on this page.
