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Lawmakers to consider deferred adjudication for DWI cases
Posted: 12.27.2010 at 4:01 PM
Steve Myers

Steve Myers is a news anchor with Pronews 7.

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AMARILLO, TX -- Texas lawmakers will be considering a bill in the upcoming session that allows 1st time drunk drivers to be acquitted after completing supervision and treatment.

Years ago, deferred adjudication was removed as an option for prosecutors which meant anyone pleading guilty to even a first time offense would have a permanent record.

If it passes, prosecutors would have an option that would basically be probation with no permanent record if the offender met the terms set by the courts.

"This gives us a way to move through cases and let people show that they have just made a mistake and they're not going to be repeat offenders, and we won't see them again," according to Potter county assistant attorney, Dave Kemp.

It's estimated that there are more than 122,000 backlog cases of misdemeanor DWI's pending across the state.

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