Charlie Roadman, an Austin criminal defense attorney, and his law partner Marianne Espiritu discuss the revamped Travis County DWI Pre-Trial Diversion Program in 2021.
The program, overhauled by new County Attorney Delia Garza, now allows first-time DWI offenders with a blood alcohol level under 0.19 to apply, a significant change from the previous strict criteria. Accidents are now evaluated individually, rather than being automatic disqualifiers. Successful completion of the program leads to case dismissal and expungement. The program requires alcohol monitoring, including an ignition interlock device in the vehicle, as opposed to the previous portable device. Despite the challenges, the program offers a reliable path to dismissal and expungement for eligible participants. Roadman and Espiritu emphasize the importance of compliance, as failure results in a plea of no contest to DWI, and the program's entry involves waiving the right to challenge the DWI charge in court.
For more information about Charlie: roadmanlaw.com/
Charlie's book The Defendant's Guide to Defense (How to Help Your Lawyer Get the Best Result) is available on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Defendants-Gui...