Salt Lake City DWI Lawyer

Are you looking for a DWI lawyer in Salt Lake City, UT? At Rasmussen & Miner, we provide DWI representation guided by more than 40 years of experience in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area.

If you were arrested for impaired driving in Salt Lake City, two separate cases began that night: a criminal charge in court and an administrative action against your license. At Rasmussen & Miner, our Salt Lake City, UT DWI lawyer can provide you with appropriate legal guidance. Robert C. Miner has practiced law in Utah since 1982, and he handles our firm’s criminal defense files. Our goal in each case is the best result the facts allow, whether that is a dismissal, a reduced charge, or a defense at trial. Contact our office to schedule a free consultation.

DWI Lawyer Salt Lake City, UT

Our Salt Lake City DWI lawyer defends drivers accused of operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or both. Utah law names the offense driving under the influence, or DUI, so a DWI attorney and a DUI attorney handle the same charge. The work covers the criminal case, the license proceeding before the state, and negotiations with the prosecutor. We can explain what a conviction would mean for a client’s job, insurance, and driving record.

Salt Lake County recorded 3,663 DUI-related arrests in fiscal year 2025, about one third of the 10,923 arrests made statewide, according to the state’s annual DUI report. Utah also enforces a lower blood alcohol limit than any other state, as NHTSA confirms. A driver can be arrested here at a level that is legal elsewhere.

Types of DWI Cases We Handle in Salt Lake City

Impaired driving charges differ by the substance involved, the driver’s record, and what happened during the stop. Each of those facts changes the penalties and the available defenses. Our Salt Lake City DWI attorneys can handle cases, including:

• First-offense DWI. Most drivers arrested in Utah have no prior DUI arrest. We review the stop, the testing, and the paperwork, and we explain which outcomes are realistic before the first court date.
• DUI convictions. A prior conviction raises the penalties, and enough prior offenses turn a misdemeanor into a felony. We examine whether each earlier conviction legally counts against you.
• Drunk driving. These cases rest on a breath or blood alcohol result. We check how the sample was collected and whether the testing instrument was properly maintained.
• Drug-impaired driving. Prescription medication, cannabis, and other controlled substances can support a charge even when the driver consumed no alcohol. No breath test measures these substances, so the prosecution relies on blood results and the officer’s observations. Both can be challenged.
• Underage DWI. Drivers under 21 are held to a stricter standard than adults, and the license consequences can last longer. A conviction at that age also affects school and early employment.
• Commercial driver DWI. A CDL holder risks disqualification from commercial driving in addition to the criminal penalties. That makes the license hearing as important as the court case.
• Chemical test refusal. Declining a breath or blood test after an arrest carries its own license revocation, which is separate from the criminal charge. We look at whether the officer gave the required warnings.
• DWI involving a crash or injury. An accident, an injured person, or a child passenger can lead to more serious charges that are filed in district court. These cases call for early work on the crash evidence.
• Reckless driving. Prosecutors sometimes agree to amend a DWI to a lesser driving offense when the evidence has weaknesses. Our Salt Lake City DWI attorneys pursue that result when it serves the client better than a trial would.

Why Choose Rasmussen & Miner as my DWI Lawyer in Salt Lake City, UT?

More Than 40 Years in Utah Courtrooms

Robert C. Miner is a Salt Lake City native who was admitted to practice in Utah and in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah in 1982. He earned a philosophy degree from the University of Utah in 1978 and his J.D. from Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1981. His criminal practice has ranged from traffic violations to federal charges. He also has extensive experience with medical and forensic science, which matters in a DWI case built on breath or blood testing. That background is what a driver should look for when retaining a criminal defense lawyer in Salt Lake City, UT.

Prosecuting agencies in Salt Lake County do not all negotiate the same way. Knowing how a particular city or county office handles impaired driving charges shapes our advice from the first meeting. Rob has appeared in these courts for more than four decades, and that history is useful to anyone looking for a Salt Lake City DWI attorney.

Results for Criminal Defense Clients

Every case turns on its own facts. Rasmussen & Miner has obtained these outcomes for criminal defense clients:

• We have obtained dismissals of first-degree felony charges.
• One client’s second DUI ended with community service and probation, according to a family member’s review.
• Other results include reduced bail, minimum sentences, and cases resolved without jail.

What Is Important To Understand About DWI Cases?

Charges, Penalties, and Defense Strategies for DWI Cases

A Utah DWI charge can rest on a chemical test result or on evidence that the driver was too impaired to drive safely. The consequences of a DWI reach beyond the courtroom.

• Most first offenses are charged as misdemeanors. A child passenger raises the misdemeanor level, and repeat offenses can be charged as felonies.
• A conviction can bring jail or home confinement, fines, probation, and a substance use screening followed by education or treatment.
• The state can suspend a driver license while the criminal case is still pending.
• Many convicted drivers must install an ignition interlock device before they can drive again.
• Common defenses challenge the reason for the traffic stop, the way field sobriety tests were given, and the reliability of the breathalyzer test result.

What Are Important Aspects of a DWI Case?

Evidence and deadlines shape a DWI case more than the arrest itself. Our Salt Lake City DWI lawyer factors in the following:

• The officer needed a lawful reason to stop the vehicle and probable cause to make the arrest.
• Body camera video often shows details that the written report leaves out.
• A hearing request must reach the Driver License Division within days of the arrest, or the right to that hearing can be lost.
• Statements made during the stop become evidence, and every driver has the right to remain silent.

What Is The DWI Case Timeline?

A misdemeanor DWI commonly takes several months from arrest to resolution while felony cases and cases set for trial take longer. Our Salt Lake City DWI attorney can estimate the schedule once the court is known.

• The officer issues a citation or books the driver, and the vehicle is usually impounded.
• The driver or the attorney files the license hearing request with the state.
• The first court date is the arraignment, where the charge is read and a plea is entered.
• Both sides exchange evidence, and the defense files motions about the stop or the testing when the facts support them.
• The case ends through a dismissal, a negotiated plea, or a trial.

What Should You Bring to Your DWI Consultation?

Documents from the arrest let our Salt Lake City DWI lawyer give specific answers at the first meeting.

• Bring the citation and every paper the officer gave you.
• Bring any bail, release, or court notices you have received.
• Write down your own account of the stop, including times and locations.
• Tell us about any prior convictions or license suspensions.

The consultation is free, and we will go through the paperwork with you and explain how the case is likely to proceed in the court where it was filed.

Salt Lake City Courthouses and Local Criminal Justice Resources

The court that hears a DWI depends on the charge level and where the arrest occurred. Most misdemeanor DWI cases from within city limits go to the Salt Lake City Justice Court, which currently holds arraignments online. More serious misdemeanors and felonies are filed in the Third District Court at the Matheson Courthouse downtown. Arrests elsewhere in the county are heard by the justice court for that city or for Salt Lake County.

Salt Lake County Criminal Justice Services provides pretrial supervision, probation, and assessments used by local courts. The Utah State Courts also publish self-help resources on criminal procedure, penalties, and expungement.

Reach Out to Rasmussen & Miner to Schedule a Consultation

A DWI charge is serious, and early preparation makes it more manageable. Rasmussen & Miner offers a free initial consultation with our Salt Lake City DWI lawyer, and our phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At that meeting, we will review your citation and explain your options in plain terms. Spanish language services are available. Contact us to schedule a time to discuss your arrest.