Five Ways to Support a Spouse Charged With a Minneapolis DWI

If your spouse has been charged with a DWI, you might feel as if your family’s life has been turned upside down. Whether your spouse is waiting for their hearing, will be fighting a possible conviction, or might need help beyond legal advice and counseling, as a spouse, it might fall to you to provide emotional and practical support. Here are five tips that can help you get your spouse through a DWI charge.

1. Remaining Calm for Your Spouse

Your spouse might be going through a range of emotions, they might need your support and will rely on you to be strong for them. While you might be upset and even angry, if your spouse needs your help and clarity while getting through DWI charges, staying strong and keeping your feelings to yourself might be best. If you can keep a clear head, your spouse can focus on next steps and getting through the process of dealing with their DWI and the fallout from this event.

2. Sourcing the Right Lawyer

Regardless of your spouse’s situation when it comes to the details surrounding a DWI charge, finding a Minneapolis lawyer right away should be your first step. A DWI attorney will be able to review your spouse’s case and see if charges can be thrown out or minimized. Sometimes advice on how to look and act in court can make all of the difference as well. If your spouse isn’t acting on finding a lawyer to help them through this time, step in and help them get representation before moving forward with any court-related proceedings.

3. Keeping Up With Day-to-Day Tasks

While your spouse’s life might feel more difficult from a DWI charge and pending possible conviction, life still keeps going. Your spouse still needs to get to work, your children need to get to school, and other engagements and responsibilities will need to be met. In order to keep your family’s life moving forward, you might have to shoulder more responsibility than normal. While it might feel as if a lot falls on you, this is a temporary situation and your family will need your help. If your spouse’s DWI charge has taken away their driving access, be sure to help them get to and from work, court appointments, and any other daily needs that will keep your normal life going and minimize further ramifications from a DWI charge.

4. Look into Support Alternatives for Your Spouse

If your spouse may have underlying issues that have been uncovered from a charge like a DWI, this can be a wake up call to get help. If your spouse is ready to seek out treatment, help them find possible options for this. Your DWI attorney might have great local resources to help with counseling and support as well. Entering treatment for drugs and alcohol or seeking out counseling can go a long way in your spouse’s recovery as well as in the eyes of courts reviewing their case. If your spouse makes a good effort to seek out help, judges might take leniency on charges and work with, instead of against, those facing a DWI-related conviction.

5. Be Sure to Take Care of Yourself

While your spouse will be the primary individual working through all of the issues that can come with a DWI charge, you probably will be feeling emotional as well. If your spouse comes to rely on you heavily for emotional support through this time, be sure to take care of yourself and your personal needs as well. See friends or find a counselor to talk about what you’ve been going through. You don’t need to keep your feelings bottled up to protect your spouse – this won’t be healthy for you or your family.

While a DWI charge can be upsetting, this isn’t the end of the world. Finding the right attorney in the Minneapolis area, helping your spouse seeking out mental or substance abuse help, and keeping your family afloat are all priorities. If you can help your spouse get through these trying times, you’ll be able to get your lives back on track as soon as possible.