Virginia Beach DUI Attorney
Aggressive Driving Under the Influence Defense
According to crash statistics provided by the Virginia DMV, a total of 5,465 injuries were caused in alcohol-related accidents in Virginia in 2011 and 245 people were killed. These numbers have decreased over the years, but law enforcement is still striving to keep intoxicated drivers off the road. Police officers do make unlawful stops and wrongful DUI arrests, however, which is why you should contact Thoman Law, PLLC immediately after you've been arrested for driving under the influence.
Schedule a free case evaluation today at (757) 932-2456!
DUI Charges and Penalties
Whether or not an individual is driving under the influence is determined by his or her blood alcohol concentration (or BAC) in conjunction with the age and license type of the driver.
You can be arrested for a DUI if your BAC is higher than:
- 0.08% and you are 21 years of age or older
- 0.02% and you are younger than 21 years old
- 0.04% and you are a commercial driver (CDL)
Under Virginia law, a first offense DUI is categorized as a class 1 misdemeanor. If convicted, you can face fines between $250 to $2,500 and a suspension on your driver's license for a year. Depending on the BAC percentage during the time of your arrest, you could even be facing at least five days in jail. Required Alcohol Safety Action Programs or Ignition Interlock Devices could be implemented into your punishment as well. Every DUI case is different and complicated in its own way. There are numerous factors that go into determining what penalties will be implemented in the event of a conviction.
Penalties may be implemented or could even increase in severity if you:
- Refuse or fail a field sobriety test
- Are arrested for multiple DUI offenses
- Are a minor and driving under the influence
- Have an extremely high BAC
- Are transporting children when arrested
- Crash into or kill another person while drunk
Retaining an experienced and dedicated Virginia Beach DUI lawyer to represent you is critical if you wish to successfully fight your charges and avoid these penalties. At Thoman Law, PLLC, I can help you with your case, from start to finish.
Why Hire a DUI Lawyer
When you retain the legal representation of a DUI lawyer in Virginia Beach, you also choose to have your case handled by a professional with access to vital resources and personalized defense strategies. There are numerous ways in which an attorney can defend you against DUI charges.
Common defense strategies used against DUI charges include:
- When it comes to stopping someone for a suspected DUI, Law enforcement officers must follow strict procedures. There must be clear signs displaying a level of intoxication before you may be pulled over, if an officer pulls you over without reason then the entire arrest is suspect.
- Additionally, they cannot make an arrest unless there is adequate proof of intoxication, such as a failed breath test or blood test. Police misconduct is very possible in the administration of any such test and an attorney can point out how the test results may have been flawed.
- There are many other reasons why an individual may have failed a field sobriety test besides being intoxicated, including being tired, being old, or even being impaired. Proving that the results of this test were impacted by other factors can help dismiss your DUI charges.
Call Today for Committed Legal Counsel
By retaining me as your Virginia Beach DUI attorney, you will have the
personal attention and defense of a former prosecutor who has handled
thousands of
criminal defense and
traffic cases during his years of legal experience. Whether you are facing a first DUI
offense or multiple DUI charges, I understand Virginia's traffic laws
to the last detail and can fight your charges based on the facts. I handle
every case myself instead of passing it off to an associate to ensure
that it is thoroughly investigated and prepared for trial.
Contact my firm today for the aggressive defense that you need.