Criminal / DWI A "crime" is any act or omission (of an act) in violation of a public law forbidding or commanding it. Crimes include both felonies (more serious offenses -- like murder or rape) and misdemeanors (less serious offenses -- like petty theft or jaywalking). Felonies are usually crimes punishable by imprisonment of a year or more, while misdemeanors are crimes punishable by less than a year. However, no act is a crime if it has not been previously established as such either by statute or common law. If you have been charged with Driving While Intoxicated in the State of Louisiana you are probably very confused and concerned about what will happen next and what you need to do. A DUI/DWI actually consists of two separate offenses. The first involves your driving privileges (suspension of your drivers license), and is considered civil in nature. The second is actually the DUI/DWI, which is a misdemeanor or felony criminal offense, and could result in jail sentence of 0-30 years, fines and the loss of your vehicle, depending on the offense. The Chesson Lawfirm is devoted to defending people like you who have been charged with DUI/DWI offenses and we would like to extend to you our expertise, and the services of our office, in preventing this matter from seriously affecting your driver's license, driving record, and insurance premiums. Perhaps the most important service we can provide to you would be to insure that your legal rights are properly protected, so you are not wrongfully convicted of a serious offense, for which you are not guilty. If you need criminal or DWI defense, call us at 877-808-3328 or contact us via this website.