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TehWildMan_ t1_j61g2pm wrote

Different states have different laws, and sometimes a slightly different name may be applied for the same criminal act depending on which jurisdiction you're looking at.

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cavalier78 t1_j61iy8p wrote

I am a criminal defense attorney. I specialize in DUI law.

In my state, a DUI (stands for "driving under the influence") means that you were driving a vehicle while your breath alcohol content was 0.08 or above.

In my state, a DWI (stands for "driving while impaired") means that you were driving a vehicle while your breath alcohol content was between 0.06 and 0.07. It's a less serious charge with a lower punishment range.

However, other states have different laws, and they call them different things. In Texas, DWI stands for "driving while intoxicated", and it's the equivalent of our DUI.

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Blood11Orange t1_j61k7fu wrote

Ah ok. The fact that each state has a different meaning for both terms makes it so difficult to differentiate. Thank you.

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cavalier78 t1_j61l1ql wrote

You're welcome. That's also going to be the case with basically any kind of crime. I see questions here about "what is 2nd degree manslaughter?" or some other thing. The answer is that it varies state by state.

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Blood11Orange t1_j61m89s wrote

It’s so frustrating how one thing could be a misdemeanor or legal in one state and a felony or illegal in another. You can’t even claim ignorance of the local laws. It’s all messed up.

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explainlikeimfive-ModTeam t1_j62ahl9 wrote

Please read this entire message

Your submission has been removed for the following reason(s):

  • Rule #2 - Questions must seek objective explanations

  • Questions about what something is/isn't legal aren't appropriate for ELI5. These questions boil down to the motivations of the lawmakers and vary greatly by region (Rule 2).

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Blood11Orange t1_j62hbxy wrote

This was a genuine question that was ultimately answered. There was no need for it to be removed.

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