Aggressive Fairfax, Virginia, Area DUI Defense Lawyer
Even with all the political and media attention on DUI/DWI laws, many people are still shocked by the penalties they can face. Any first-offense conviction for driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious matter. If you have multiple offenses or your case involves any aggravating factors, you need to contact an attorney.
What Penalties Could You Be Facing?
All across the nation, today's penalties for driving while intoxicated (DWI) are severe. The Commonwealth of Virginia, however, has some of the harshest penalties in the country. Any DUI conviction in Virginia will change your life in some serious ways, such as requiring you to:
- Pay a stiff fine, much higher insurance rates and other costs
- Disclose the conviction on job applications and in other endeavors where your criminal history is considered
- Attend educational and rehabilitative classes
If you have been charged with DUI before, or your case involves factors such as blood alcohol content above .15 percent, driving under suspension or causing an accident, you could well be facing:
- Mandatory jail time — from five days to one year or more
- Driver's license suspension or revocation for years, or indefinitely
- Additional, extremely costly penalties including vehicle impoundment or forfeiture
Your Future Is Worth Fighting For
Although every case and every Northern Virginia court has its own nuances, the days of DUI/DWI lawyers consistently "bargaining" to knock the charge down have been gone for years. Your case may be one where we can discuss a possible reduction in charge to reckless driving or some other lesser offense, but most of the time prosecutors would rather try a close case and lose it than agree to let you out of a DWI/DUI charge.
My view is this: If there is anything in your case that allows us to put up a defense, your investment in fighting for acquittal is worth it. I will identify the best available DUI defense strategies for you, based on all the circumstances of your case.
If we go through court proceedings and ultimately do not win acquittal, penalties will rarely be any worse than if you had pled guilty. There is a lot to gain if you win acquittal. Taking the best shot you have, with a strategic-minded, aggressive attorney who knows the laws and courts, just makes sense given the consequences.
I will not judge you, and I know that many different factors can be involved in what happened. Contact me, experienced criminal defender Steven L. Duckett, Jr., today to talk through your legal options in a free initial consultation.
