Massachusetts Drivers Charged with DWI in New Hampshire

Are you a Massachusetts driver, facing a DWI charge in NH?

Lothstein Guerriero PLLC's New Hampshire DWI attorneys have represented many Massachusetts drivers charged with DWI offenses in NH courts. Often, these are vacationers coming to NH to boat, hike or ski, to stay at their summer houses, or to see the NASCAR races at Loudon. Ted Lothstein handles DWI charges in all NH Courts. Richard Guerriero handles DWI charges in Cheshire County (Keene area) and Sullivan County (Newport and Claremont area).

We Work With a Massachusetts Lawyer

If retained, and if this service is requested, Ted Lothstein and Richard Guerriero will include 30 minutes of free consultation with a respected and highly experienced Massachusetts lawyer who has a wealth of knowledge about the MA Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), including the anticipated “collateral consequences” for a MA license holder of various motor vehicle convictions in NH. As long as the fee agreement references the MA lawyer, there is no additional fee for his services.

Massachusetts – Reciprocity for Administrative Suspensions

Most people facing a DWI charge in a NH Court also receive an official Notice for a 6 month (or sometimes 2 year) administrative suspension, which will begin 30 days after arrest or 30 days after release of a blood test result. Administrative suspensions result from the driver’s refusal to provide a breath or blood test, or from the driver’s test result showing a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, or from a breath alcohol concentration of .09 or higher.

Historically, Massachusetts has suspended a Massachusetts resident’s driver’s license as a result of an out-of-State administrative suspension. There is typically a lag time of 2-6 weeks from the date of suspension in NH, until MA catches up and issues a suspension notice. That means that the suspension of the MA driver’s license tends to be for a somewhat shorter period than the 180 days or 2 years duration of the NH suspension.

Massachusetts – Reciprocity for NH DWI Conviction

If a Massachusetts driver is convicted of DWI in a NH Court, Massachusetts will suspend the driver’s Massachusetts license for a period that depends on how many prior DWI convictions the Massachusetts driver has on her MA RMV record. Massachusetts has a “life-time lookback.” That means that, for example, if there is a MA DWI conviction from 25 years ago, MA will suspend driver’s license for the period associated with a DWI-2d offense. This is true even though NH would treat the offense as a first offense, due to the fact that NH has a 10 year look-back window.

Retain an Experienced, Skilled New Hampshire DWI Defense Attorney

This page is intended to convey information about the collateral consequences of DWI arrests and convictions, not legal advice. Collateral consequences are subject to change at any time as a result of changes in statutes and administrative regulations. You should hire an experienced, skilled DWI defense attorney to receive accurate legal advice that is tailored to the specific facts and circumstances of your case.