What If I’m Arrested for a DWI the Day Before Thanksgiving?
The Day Before Thanksgiving is considered one of the heaviest drinking days of the year which means DWI patrol will likely be significant. Whether you are drinking with your family or with old friends, the day before Thanksgiving is one of the worst days to get arrested for a DWI. But why?
For certain degrees of DWIs, you may be held in jail until you can be seen by a judge. Under Rule 4 of the Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure, upon arrest, a person can be held in custody for no more than 36 hours before they must either see a judge or be released from custody pending charges. However, the day of arrest, legal holidays, and Sundays do NOT count towards those 36 hours.
Thanksgiving and the day after Thanksgiving are both considered legal holidays and so don’t count. If you are arrested on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, you may sit in custody until noon on Monday before seeing a judge because neither Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, nor Sunday would count towards your time. Because there are two legal Holidays in a row and then only 24 hours until Sunday, the day before Thanksgiving is one of the worst days to get arrested. This means you should plan on a sober ride so that you don’t miss your turkey and pie. We at Brandt Kettwick Defense wish you a safe and happy holiday with your loved ones.
If you find yourself charged with a DWI or any other criminal offense this Thanksgiving, give us a call and we can help – (763) 421-6366.