So You Have to Get Minnesota Whiskey Plates?
If you are charged with certain DWI/DUI’s in Minnesota, the police will seize your license plates and give you a notice of plate impoundment. This means you can’t drive that car with your old plates but rather must get new temporary license plates. The new plates start with the letter “W” and are frequently known as a Whiskey plate. The result of having a Whiskey plate can have many ramifications. Contact Jack Rice Defense for a free consultation.
Like everything else involving DPS, it isn’t the easiest or fastest process.
Specific Consequences regarding Whiskey Plates
Once your normal license plates are impounded, you will need to go to the Department of Public Safety to get your new Whiskey plates. Like everything else involving DPS, it isn’t the easiest or fastest process. You will be required to use these new plates for at least a year. One of the problems that comes with that is the embarrassment that comes from displaying to your friends and family and the whole world about your Minnesota DWI/DUI. In addition, the new Whiskey plate requirement will likely apply to not just the vehicle in which the Minnesota DWI/DUI occurred but rather to any vehicle that you have access to. So, in other words, everybody in the family or household is required to wear that scarlet W on the front and back of their car too regardless of their connection to those events. Finally, the Whiskey plates often create a red flag for the police so they know automatically that the car was used in a previous DWI. Now, while they can’t use it as a justification in itself to stop you, that doesn’t mean they won’t zero in and start looking for a reason to stop that car.
The new Whiskey plate requirement will likely apply to not just the vehicle in which the Minnesota DWI/DUI occurred but rather to any vehicle that you have access to.
General Collateral Consequences of a DWI/DUI in Minnesota besides Plate Impoundment
If you are facing DWI/DUI charges, you could be facing real jail time or even prison time if this is a felony DWI. However, there are a lot of collateral consequences, other things that the government is going to do to you, as a result of the criminal case. The list may include:
License ramifications
Temporary license requirements
Limited license requirements
Interlock requirements
Car impoundment
Car forfeiture
All of these potential requirements depending upon your circumstances will absolutely result in headaches, time, logistical requirements and money. The government doesn’t make it easy to get tabs for your car. Imagine how difficult they can make it to get a temporary license, to get interlock, to get your car out of impound or even to get the Whiskey plates they will require in order to drive the vehicle.
Jack Rice Defense has extensive experience handling DWI/DUI cases throughout Minnesota. If you are forced to deal with license plate impoundment tied to a DWI/DUI charge, sit down with Jack Rice and his team to discuss your options. We recognize that you may have limited experience dealing with the police, prosecutors, and the Courts. Just know that you shouldn’t go into this alone. Call Jack Rice Defense for a free consultation.