Charged with DUI or other alcohol-related charges in Stafford, Fredericksburg, Manassas, or elsewhere in Northern Virginia? Call Williams & Stone, PC. The penalties for DUI in Virginia are tough. If you’ve been charged with DUI, you need an aggressive lawyer to come to your defense.

Is this your first charge or conviction? A first offense can and will result in expensive fines with a minimum of $250 and up to one year of revocation of a driver’s license. Did you have a BAC (blood alcohol content) of .15 or more? If so, you are facing jail time. And those with BAC levels of .21 or higher face more severe jail sentences.

Some individuals simply plead guilty and pay their fines or do their time. Others choose to fight and call our attorneys.

Defending DUI Charges

Williams & Stone, PC has the experience and knowledge to defend DUI cases and has successfully done so for many throughout Northern Virginia. We will investigate every detail of your situation and identify potential areas of error that may help you gain an advantage for those electing to defend their charge.

Our attorneys work with all types of DUI charges and can answer any question you might have including penalties, possible defense, consequences for multiple drunk driving charges, underage DUI, penalties for both misdemeanors & felonies, out of state charges, DUI where injuries are involved, breath and blood tests, field sobriety tests, blood alcohol levels, suspended driver’s license, details of sobriety checkpoints and more. It doesn’t matter your situation or question, Williams & Stone, PC is here and ready to evaluate your case.

Common Questions

• Will I go to jail if I’m charged with DUI in Virginia?
• Will I lose my license?
• What is blood alcohol concentration?
• Can I refuse a breathalyzer?
• Are breath test results always accurate?
• What happens if I lose my license but continue to drive?
• What effect does a DUI conviction have on a driving record?
• Will a DUI arrest affect my out-of-state license?
• What is the punishment in Virginia for drunk driving?
• Will I need to see an alcohol counselor if convicted?
• What is the best way to beat a drunk driving charge?
• Do I need a lawyer if I intend to plead guilty?
• Can an attorney really help me?
• How much does a lawyer cost?
• What is the difference between a DWI & DUI?
• Will I be required to have an ignition interlock device on my vehicle?
• How do I choose the best attorney?

Penalties

Virginia has extremely harsh penalties for DUI convictions. Area residents trust local law enforcement to maintain public safety in many ways. That does not mean, however, that every arrest is warranted or that every defendant is guilty. Fortunately, our legal and judicial system allows people to prove their innocence and sometimes have charges lessened or even dropped, including people arrested on DUI charges.

The penalties set forth by Virginia law are well detailed by both the Department of Motor Vehicles and the State Legislature. Every case is unique but the basic parameters for DUI penalties are as follows:

• A first-time conviction can result in a driver’s license revocation for 12 months and the payment of a fine starting at $250.
• A second-time conviction will result in a driver’s license revocation for a period of 36 months and the payment of a fine starting at $500. If the conviction follows one in the previous 10 years, a minimum of one month of jail time can be required. If the conviction follows one in the previous five years, a minimum of two months of jail time can be required.
• A third-time conviction will lead to the indefinite revocation of a driver’s license with a minimum amount of time in jail of 90 days. If the conviction follows two others within a span of five years, the minimum jail time will be six months. Loss of vehicle possession can also happen and fines will start at $1,000. These charges are handled as felonies.

Any conviction that involves blood alcohol levels greater than 0.15 percent may increase the amount of jail time that is ordered.

Virginia’s DUI laws apply not just to persons driving automobiles but also to people driving mopeds operated on state highways. Additionally, impairment by drugs can result in the same penalties as impairment by alcohol. If an accident occurs and a driver is suspected to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs an officer can make a DUI arrest within three hours of the incident.