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:

Law enforcement officers must follow strict procedures when it comes to DUI stops and arrests. They can only pull you over if you are displaying signs of intoxication while driving, or if they were tipped off by a witness. If the officer pulled you over without reason to believe you were driving drunk, their actions could be considered unlawful.
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

undefined 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.