DWAI in Colorado
You were charged with driving while ability impaired in Colorado. People call it DWAI. That is an accusation, not a finding that you were drunk or high. The Reisch Law Firm defends DWAI cases statewide from one office in Westminster. Call (303) 291-0555.
What this charge means
DWAI alleges that alcohol or drugs affected you to the slightest degree so that you were a less safe driver. It is a different legal theory from DUI. Prosecutors sometimes charge both and decide later which count to push. The complaint controls what you are actually facing.
Do not treat a DWAI ticket as “just a ticket.” It is a criminal case with court dates, possible license consequences, and a record if it ends in a conviction. The DMV process can move on a separate timeline.
How these cases usually start
Stops, crashes, and checkpoints generate most of these files. Officers write observations. They may request field tests and a chemical test. You may get a summons instead of an arrest on some facts. Either way, the district attorney still has to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt if the case goes to trial.
Issues that decide these cases
- Stop and contact. Why the officer contacted you is often the first motion issue.
- Impairment vs. under the influence. The State must match the proof to the count it filed.
- Video and notes. Bodycam and dashcam can help or hurt. They should be obtained early.
- Stacked counts. Reckless driving, DUR, or hit and run can ride along.
Call before you try to explain it away at the next hearing.
Penalties (confirm before you rely on this)
The class of this offense and the jail or prison range depend on the current statute, the date of the alleged offense, and any sentence enhancers on the complaint. We will not publish a class or a year range on this page as if it were locked 2026 law. Your charging document and the current Colorado Revised Statutes control.
Enhancers can include prior convictions, a domestic-violence designation, a protection-order count, a weapon fact, or consecutive sentences on other counts. Probation eligibility is not automatic. Past results do not guarantee future results. This page is not a promise about your sentence.
Court process in plain English
After an arrest, advisement is usually the first court date. The judge covers rights and bond. Advisement is not arraignment. You do not have to enter a plea there.
The district attorney decides whether to file, add counts, drop counts, or decline. Felony cases that start in county court may have a preliminary-hearing track before district-court arraignment. Discovery, motions, and trial setting follow if the case does not resolve.
Bond is a court order, not a finding of guilt. Conditions can include no contact, no weapons, testing, and GPS. Violating a condition can create a new filing. If you have questions about a condition, call the firm before you guess.
Why people call this firm on this charge
People call because their charge is listed, because they need a trial lawyer, or because a family member is in custody and the next court date is soon. Wrongfully accused or guilty as charged, the job is the same: test the State’s proof and protect the record.
The Reisch Law Firm works from one office in Westminster and takes cases around Colorado. We try cases in Colorado state court and in federal court when the case goes there. Call (303) 291-0555.
Related Colorado charges
What to do now
Call (303) 291-0555. Tell us the county and what the complaint or ticket says. The Reisch Law Firm defends Colorado criminal cases from one office in Westminster and takes cases around the state.
Call (303) 291-0555
The Reisch Law Firm
1490 West 121st Avenue, Suite 202, Westminster, CO 80234
Phone: (303) 291-0555
Back to Colorado Criminal Defense (A-Z)
Past results do not guarantee future results. Attorney advertising.
This page is general information. It is not legal advice and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. The charging document and the current Colorado Revised Statutes control.
