DWI Defense in Nassau County
Criminal Defense & Immigration Law, Together Since 1995
Terezakis Law Firm has represented immigrants and their families throughout Nassau County and Long Island since 1995. We handle both criminal defense and immigration law, so when a DWI charge threatens your driving privileges, it’s also evaluated for what it could mean for your green card, your naturalization application, or your ability to remain in the United States. Our Mineola office sits approximately one block from Nassau County Court and less than a mile from Nassau County First District Court in Hempstead.
George A. Terezakis brings 35 years of criminal defense and immigration experience to every DWI case involving a non-citizen client. Our bilingual team is fluent in Spanish and English, and payment plans are available.
A DWI arrest in Nassau County moves quickly, and so do the immigration consequences. Call us today at (516) 550-5323 to speak with our team before your options narrow.
Why a DWI Is Different When You’re Not a U.S. Citizen
Nassau County prosecutors treat DWI as a serious criminal matter, not a traffic infraction. For non-citizens, that distinction carries consequences far beyond fines and license suspension. A conviction, and in some cases even a plea that looks favorable in criminal court, can affect a green card application, a green card renewal, naturalization eligibility, and re-entry into the United States after international travel.
How Immigration Law Categorizes Criminal Convictions
Federal immigration law identifies categories of offenses that can trigger deportation, inadmissibility, or denial of immigration benefits. Crimes involving moral turpitude are one such category. A standard first-offense misdemeanor DWI without aggravating factors generally doesn’t fall within that category, but circumstances change that calculus quickly. A prior DWI, injury to another person, or a drug-related DWI conviction can elevate the immigration risk significantly. DACA recipients, individuals in removal proceedings, and those applying for adjustment of status face particular vulnerability.
DWAI, driving while ability impaired, is sometimes treated as the lesser charge in New York criminal court. Non-citizen clients shouldn’t accept a DWAI plea without immigration-informed legal advice. Immigration authorities may treat that conviction differently than New York criminal courts do, and the consequences can be the same or worse.
How We Handle the Immigration Consequences
We evaluate the immigration consequences of every criminal charge, including DWI, as part of our standard representation. Clients don’t need a separate immigration attorney for this analysis. We work to reach a resolution that can help avoid rendering a client deportable, and we explain the immigration implications before any plea is entered. When treatment or counseling is appropriate, we refer clients to those resources, which can support both the criminal case and a later showing of rehabilitation in immigration proceedings.
Other defense attorneys regularly retain us to analyze the immigration consequences of criminal plea agreements for their non-citizen clients. George A. Terezakis lectures at continuing legal education seminars across the country on the intersection of criminal convictions and immigration law, including for the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. When attorneys need guidance on immigration consequences in criminal cases, they call this firm.
Recognition That Reflects This Firm’s Dual Practice
George A. Terezakis has taught for and been recognized by the Nassau County Criminal Courts Bar Association, the New York County Lawyers’ Association, and the Nassau and Suffolk County Bar Associations. He received the Practitioner of the Year 2013 award from the Nassau County Criminal Courts Bar Association and the Community Advocate of the Year 2011 award from the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He also holds Super Lawyers recognition and an Avvo Clients’ Choice 2022 award.
Each client is assigned both an attorney and a paralegal. Defense lawyers and community leaders throughout Nassau County refer non-citizen clients to us because of this firm’s experience at the intersection of criminal and immigration law.
DWI Charges in Nassau County: What You’re Facing
Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 1192, a DWI charge applies when a driver operates a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher. Aggravated DWI applies at 0.18 percent or higher and carries steeper penalties. DWAI applies at lower levels of impairment and is classified as a traffic infraction in criminal court, though its immigration consequences are not minor.
Charges, Penalties, & Court Locations
A first-offense DWI is typically charged as a misdemeanor. Penalties can include up to one year in jail, fines, a six-month license suspension, three years of probation, and a mandatory ignition interlock device for a minimum of six months after conviction. A second DWI within 10 years can be charged as a felony, which can mean state prison time and a longer license revocation.
Misdemeanor DWI cases in Nassau County are heard at Nassau County First District Court in Hempstead. Felony cases proceed to Nassau County Court in Mineola after grand jury indictment. At arraignment, the court typically suspends the defendant’s license pending the outcome of the case, though a conditional license may be available for essential driving. A separate DMV administrative hearing affecting driving privileges can run alongside the criminal case.
Our Approach to DWI Defense for Non-Citizen Clients
Early representation matters. Retaining counsel before charges are formally filed, when possible, can affect bail conditions, license suspension, and the early direction of plea negotiations. We intervene as early as the facts allow.
Our investigation covers the full record of the arrest: the legality of the traffic stop, how field sobriety tests were administered, whether the breathalyzer was properly calibrated, and whether any constitutional violations affected how evidence was gathered. We work with experienced private investigators to locate favorable evidence and witness statements.
Every case is evaluated for whether a negotiated resolution can be reached that can help avoid deportation consequences. When it can’t, we’re prepared to defend the charge at trial. That decision belongs to the client, made after a thorough review of the facts and the full range of consequences with experienced counsel.
Contact Terezakis Law Firm About Your DWI Charge
The window between a DWI arrest and arraignment in Nassau County is critical. Immigration consequences can begin before a conviction occurs, and the decisions made early in a case shape every option that follows. We serve clients throughout Nassau County and across Long Island, with consultations available in Spanish and English. Payment plans are available.
Call Terezakis Law Firm at (516) 550-5323 to discuss your DWI charge and what it means for your immigration status. The sooner we can review the facts, the more we may be able to do.
I thank them whole heartedly for their professionalism and their service.
- Joseph S.
Providing legal services to immigrants and their families throughout Nassau County.