Lose Minnesota Plates From DWI

The state of Minnesota impounds license plates if a driver is charged with certain crimes, including certain DWIs and driving after cancellation as inimical to public safety (DAC-IPS), when the driver has three or more DWIs (or DAC-IPS). If your license plates have been impounded, it means the plates were removed from your car and destroyed, making it illegal for you or anyone else to drive the vehicle used in the DWI or any other vehicle you own or co-own. If your license plates were impounded, Keller Criminal Defense Attorneys can help by either challenging the impoundment or helping you get special plates (commonly called “whiskey plates”).

Talk to our Minneapolis license plate impoundment attorney today to learn about challenging a license plate impoundment or obtaining special license plates. Call Keller Criminal Defense Attorneys at (952) 522-5026 for a free initial consultation. We offer two metro area office locations for your convenience.

Offenses That Can Result in License Plate Impoundment

As a skilled defense attorney practicing since 1997, Max A. Keller has extensive knowledge of the circumstances that can result in license plate impoundment for one year. He can build a strong defense on your behalf to challenge the license plate impoundment or obtain “whiskey plates” for your car. Talk to our law firm today if you have been charged with:

  • DWI first offense, if the alcohol content (AC) test result is .16 or more
  • DWI first offense, if there was a passenger in the vehicle under the age of 16
  • A DWI second or subsequent offense within 10 years of the first DWI conviction or DWI driver’s license revocation
  • Driving with a canceled driver’s license

With help from a skilled DWI defense attorney, the impoundment order can be reviewed and challenged, resulting in you keeping your license plates or obtaining special plates.

If you are an innocent owner, meaning you are the registered owner of the car but are not the individual who allegedly committed a DWI, you may be able to have new license plates issued for your car for free. Our law firm can help you through the legal process and the paperwork for accomplishing this.

Call for Your Free Initial Consultation

Schedule your free initial consultation with an attorney who has extensive knowledge of Minnesota license plate impoundment laws. Call Keller Criminal Defense Attorneys at (952) 522-5026 or you can also contact us online.

Max Keller has won countless jury trial cases involving misdemeanors and felonies, sex crimes, and DWI’s. He is a member of the Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice, which only allows the top 50 criminal defense attorneys in the state as members. Max is a frequent speaker at CLE’s and is often asked for advice by other defense attorneys across Minnesota.

Years of Experience: Approx. 20 years
Minnesota Registration Status: Active
Bar & Court Admissions: State of Minnesota Minnesota State Court Minnesota Federal Court 8th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals State of Maryland

What to Do If You Have Been Charged with a Criminal Offense

Stay calm and compose after getting accused of a crime but not charged in Minneapolis, MN. Do not discuss the facts of your case with anyone, including your relatives and family members. Hire a criminal defense attorney with a demonstrated record of winning cases like yours. Your attorney will discuss your rights, guide you on how to cooperate with law enforcement within the legal boundaries, and build a solid defense strategy to fight the charges you could face in the future.
Expungement and sealing of records in Minnesota affect how your criminal history appears to government agencies and the public. The main difference between the two legal actions is that expungement permanently removes past arrests, criminal charges, or convictions from private and public databases, while sealing hides the criminal record from the public. Courts, government entities, and law enforcement agencies can access sealed criminal records.
Minnesota recently passed a public safety bill that brings sweeping changes to the state’s juvenile justice system. While minors sometimes run afoul of the law, the juvenile justice system seeks to account for the differences between children and adults. Therefore, while the penalties for adults convicted of crimes focus on punishment, those for juveniles are aimed at diversion and restorative practices.