Name: Gallagher Criminal Defense
Price range: $$$

Minnesota DUI Lawyer Thomas Gallagher helps people win their Minnesota DUI cases. And he has helped people win cases throughout the Twin Cities, and Greater Minnesota, since 1988.

So Call Minnesota DUI Lawyer Thomas Gallagher for help: 612 333-1500

Impaired by Alcohol?

We don’t hear “drunk driving” much any more. After all, now the arbitrary limit in Minnesota for an alcohol concentration test is down to 0.08. And that’s about half the first presumptive threshold in the 1970s: 0.15.

**Thomas Gallagher, Minnesota DUI Lawyer**

But things have changed. And, penalties have become severe. So these days, you need a Minnesota DUI Lawyer to help you fight back.

The penalties for a Minnesota DWI grow ever more severe. So, typically it can cost a person $15,000 or more over a five-year period. And consequences include the “implied consent” license revocation, jail or prison time.

For drivers with priors, more problems to avoid:

special “whisky” DWI license plates,
a car forfeiture, or even
a lifetime loss of normal Minnesota drivers’ license (with a “B-Card” license, eventually).

Need Help with a DUI? Minnesota DUI Lawyer Thomas Gallagher helps

After DUI arrests, Attorney Thomas Gallagher helps people fight DUI charges of every severity level. So he helps clients fight:

DWI first offense charges,
second within ten,
felony DWI, to
criminal vehicular operation and criminal vehicular homicide.

And now you call for a free consultation with one of the best Minnesota DWI Lawyers about your case.

Minnesota DWI laws

Yes, Minnesota DUI laws are harsh. But Minnesota DWI lawyer Thomas Gallagher can use his education, skill and experience to defend you. And Attorney Thomas Gallagher works hard for the people he represents. He works for justice; and fair enforcement of the laws.

Attorney Thomas Gallagher strives for excellence. And he is one of the best DUI attorneys.

Minnesota DUI Lawyer Thomas Gallagher has won these cases in Minnesota courts for three decades:

Minnesota Felony DWI cases (fourth in ten years; presumptive three-year prison sentence).
Criminal Vehicular Operation cases.
Implied Consent challenge (drivers license ).
Gross Misdemeanor DWI, and mandatory minimum penalties.
First time and Misdemeanor DWI
DUI Marijuana cases.

Minnesota DUI Lawyer Gallagher helps people with:

midnight calls from jail (“should I give a breath, urine or blood sample for a DUI arrest? Should I get an Additional Test?“).
defeat DUI charges.
avoid lengthy jail or prison sentences in cases with priors.
get driver’s license back (and so, keep their jobs), and clean up the driver’s license record.
avoid the special “WX” MN DWI license plates.
avoid or win back their car and vehicle after police seizure in DWI forfeiture cases.

Attorney Thomas Gallagher works, to use and enforce the laws – criminal and civil; procedural and constitutional – to defend the legal rights of the person he represents. And by extension this work protects their families and the liberty and property rights of all the people of Minnesota.

**Deliberate Targeting of Non-impaired drivers, by police and the state**

Minnesota’s alcohol and driving statutes have become broader and broader over the years.

The first “per se” drunk driving statute is from the 1970s. A per se DWI law presumes impairment based on an alcohol measurement, even with no evidence of actual impairment. Back then, the legislature set that limit at 0.15. Because, then, they said, 0.15 was the level that some drivers begin to suffer impairment.

So, it can happen to anyone. And if it does, you want the best Minnesota DUI Lawyer to represent you.

Personal responsibility

What happened to the idea that everyone is responsible for their own conduct? And, how do you know that you’re illegal to drive, when you’re not impaired and feel fine?

Since the first bright line Per Se law, the state lowered the threshold for “presumed guilty” (even if sober), twice. First the legislature reduced the limit to 0.10. And then later they reduced it to 0.08 – about half of the original presumption of guilt-threshold.

Unfair to women

A 100 pound woman can now be a DUI criminal for driving after two glasses of wine. And even with undisputed proof of her perfect driving, this is so.

In fact Minnesota courts ruled that impairment evidence is irrelevant. The prosecutor can hide it from the jury if the only claimed violation is 0.08 or more.

Misguided public policy

About 80% of the people in Minnesota DWI arrests have no priors, and are below the original limit of 0.15. So should government spend scarce resources on damaging people who are not endangering the public?

But police waste hours, and courts waste days on the first time arrestee with a claimed 0.09 alcohol report. And while they do, the high BAC, repeat offenders keep driving along, unmolested.

And this misdirection of resources on low BAC drivers with no priors endangers the public.

The laws in this area are irrational. But a good DWI defense lawyer can help protect you from these unfair laws.

Unreliable or Limited Science; and Forensic Science Fraud or Misconduct

Targeting unimpaired drivers is unfair. But worse, unreliable science, or sometimes even misconduct by the state are fundamental flaws in anti-alcohol enforcement in Minnesota.

But an experienced Minnesota DUI Lawyer can spot these “forensic science” errors and omissions.

DWI and Driving-Related Legal Problems

Criminal Alcohol-Related Driving Cases:

Felony DWI, First Degree Driving While Impaired (Presumptive three years prison)
Gross Misdemeanor DWI, Second Degree and Third Degree Driving While Impaired (one year jail maximum)
Misdemeanor DWI, Fourth Degree Driving While Impaired (90 days jail maximum)
Mandatory Minimum sentencing, staggered sentencing
High Claimed Alcohol Level Report Cases (0.16 or more)
Dismissal Before Trial Motions

Drivers License Revocation under the Minnesota “Implied Consent” Statute:

Driver must serve and file “Petition for Judicial Review” within 60 days or revocation becomes permanent
State claims “consent” obtained after driver coerced with threats of prosecution
Illegal stop results in clean record
Illegal arrest results in driver win
Drinking After Driving defense
Police failed to observe driving
Not driving, operating or in control
Lack of temporal connection between driving and claimed alcohol level “test”
Denial of Right to Pre-“test” Legal Counsel results in state losing
Police misleading or driver confusion can result in driver win in court
Unreliable chemical “test” (breath, urine, blood) results in driver win
Police Failure to Vindicate Right to Counsel
Police Denial of Right to Additional Test

Plate Impoundment for alcohol-related driving accusation:

Driver must serve and file “Petition for Judicial Review” within 60 days or too late
“Whisky plates,” WX plates, XY plates, “special plates,” etc.

Car or Vehicle Forfeiture actions based upon alcohol-related driving accusation:

Owner must serve and file “Demand for Judicial Review” within 60 days or too late
Owner is sometimes not the driver at time of claimed offense
Innocent owner defense, Minnesota DWI forfeiture for innocent spouse
Numerous preconditions to forfeiture must exist or the owner gets the car back
If the government wins, the police and prosecutor keep the money – incentive to target expensive vehicles

The “B-Card” license case, or Minnesota Statutes §171.19 Petition:

Time limited to file court challenge
“Cancelled and Denied” drivers who later get “no alcohol” restrictions on “B-Card” licenses
Others, who seek a court hearing on license reinstatement