Bill Powers Listed as Lawyer of the Year 2020 DUI/DWI Defense by Best Lawyers®

If you’ve searched for “lawyers near me” in North Carolina, we may be able to help. While the publication correctly notes we are a Charlotte law firm, we have for years traveled throughout the state helping people with DWI charges in North Carolina.

Bill Powers has served as legal counsel in places as far west as Murphy North Carolina, in Cherokee County and east to New Bern, Wilmington, Havelock, and New Hanover County.

Our goal is to help people facing serious misdemeanor and felony charges, many of which involve allegations of “drunk driving.” It doesn’t matter where you live or where you have been charged in North Carolina.

We’re dedicated to providing sound legal advice to people arrested for impaired driving in North Carolina. We will travel to help you or a loved one, assuming we believe we can help and our calendar allows.

Obviously, that may include allegations of felony death by vehicle, DWI charges, driving under the influence, misdemeanor death, and other traffic citations. Bill Powers has substantial experience handling legal matters involving fatalities associated with DWI charges.

“It doesn’t matter whether you personally prefer to call it DUI in North Carolina or DWI or ‘drunk driving.’ We’re experienced helping clients with serious criminal charges and we’re here to help.”

– Bill Powers, North Carolina DWI Defense

As a practical matter, there is not a tremendous distinction between DUI and DWI. We understand what people mean when they call after they’ve been arrested and looking for help in court.

DUI traditionally stands for “driving under the influence.” Many people think being under the influence relates to the consumption of alcohol. People can get “drunk” after drinking beer, wine, and liquor.

DWI is defined under the NC DWI laws as “driving while impaired” or driving while subject to an impairing substance.

Driving under the influence of an impairing substance is what is illegal. Being “under the influence” may be proven by several different ways.

It is NOT the same thing as “drunk driving.”

You need not be “drunk.” Impairment is ordinarily associated with the loss of physical or mental faculties.

You may be impaired be both illegal and legal drugs. Illegal drugs like marijuana can impair the ability to safely operate a motor vehicle in North Carolina. Even prescription drugs may serve as a legal basis for DWI charges in Charlotte and throughout North Carolina.

It’s important to understand, alcohol is considered a drug. It’s categorized as a central nervous system “depressant.” That’s true too for the lawfully prescribed medication of Alprazolam or Xanax or other forms of benzodiazepines.

In presenting a case against the Defendant, the State may seek to prove the person charged with DWI lost control to their normal ability to think or move, to such an extent that any “impairment” by alcohol or drugs is “appreciable” or “noticeable” or “capable of being observed and described.”

Frankly, it can get a bit complicated, because the State may seek to prove “impaired driving” or DWI charges by using an officer’s opinion alone.

The State may also seek to prove driving under the influence or “DUI” that normally involves the consumption of alcohol by presenting evidence from a breath testing device.

Many people still refer to that as the breathalyzer, although it’s now formally known as the Intoximeter EC/IR II. That’s different from the handheld device on the side of the road or at a DWI checkpoint known as the Alco-Sensor.

• DUI-DWI Facts
• NC DWI Laws
• Impaired Driving License Supsension
• Guidebook to Navigating the DWI DUI Legal System
• Probable Cause to Arrest for DUI in North Carolina
• DWI Sentencing
• U.S. News – Best Lawyers – Best Law Firms – Criterion for Inclusion – Firm Profile