We recently wrote a post about terms you will need to know when you are facing a New York DWI or other drunk driving charge. In this article, we will review some additional terminology that will be particularly important during the arraignment, negotiation, pleading and sentencing stages of your case. When you are arraigned on for either a DWI, DWAI, or DWAID (meaning when your attorney will enter a plea on your behalf), in most instances, the presiding judge will request that you have an evaluation conducted by TASC. TASC stands for “Treatment Alternatives To Street Crime”, and the purpose of this evaluation is to have a substance abuse counselor determine whether you have a drinking or drug abuse issue. If the determination is that you do not have a substance abuse problem, there will be a recommendation that no further evaluation or treatment is required. If the counselor believes there is an issue, as part of your sentence for the DWI, you will be required to attend substance abuse counseling for a period of time recommended by the TASC counselor.
As part of the sentence in many Westchester DWI cases, you will also be required to attend one session of what is known as the VIP panel, or Victim Impact Panel. This is a class run by MADD, (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), in which you will generally pay a fee of $75.00, and will hear stories from the families of those whose family members were injured or killed in accidents with drunk drivers.
At the conclusion of all New York DWI cases, in order to be permitted to obtain a conditional driver’s license, (which will be discussed in more detail in a separate post), you will be required to attend the DDP, or Drinking Driver Program, which is run by the Department of Motor Vehicles, will run seven weeks, and cost about $375.00. The DDP is a treatment, re-education and evaluation program which you must attend promptly, take very seriously and be prepared at any particular time to be tested to determine if you have been drinking that day, which would result in additional treatment.
If you are charged with DWI in New York, or any other criminal offense, contact the Drunk Driving Lawyers at the White Plains, New York Law Office Of Mark A. Siesel online or toll free at (914) 428-7386 for a free consultation with a knowledgeable, experienced advocate to discuss your legal rights and options.