How to defend a Dwi in Virginia

Many people are surprised to learn that even a first offense DUI in Virginia is typically punished as a Class 1 Misdemeanor, with possible penalties including up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2500. Simply being charged with DWI will commonly lead to an administrative license suspension before your trial. A conviction will also come with additional requirements, such as time spent attending VASAP classes, license suspensions, and ignition interlock devices. Depending on your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC), you may face mandatory jail time. Upon a first-offense conviction, a BAC of between .15 and .20 is punished with a mandatory 5 days in jail, while a BAC on a first offense of over .20 is punishable by a mandatory 10 days in jail. Subsequent convictions carry higher penalties and longer suspensions.    

The good news is that there are often a variety of defenses at your disposal. An attorney may be able to help you fight the administrative license suspension before trial. 

Prior to trial, we will also evaluate what defense you may use to prevent an underlying conviction. They could include:

• Invalid stop (lack of reasonable suspicion)
• Invalid arrest (lack of probable cause)
• Challenging the field sobriety test
• Challenging the breath test
• Challenging the blood test
• Constitutional challenges to procedures

The consequences of a criminal conviction can be serious. You may face jail time, fines and license suspension. There could also be collateral consequences such as loss of firearm and voting rights. A criminal conviction may impact current or future employment opportunities and professional licenses. A conviction for DWI will almost certainly increase the cost of future car insurance, and will make obtaining car insurance more difficult. Take advantage of a FREE consultation with the Winchester Virginia DUI attorneys at Ambler Law Offices, LLC to understand your options. If nothing else, you will learn what defense strategies are available.

At Ambler Law Offices, we pride ourselves on listening to your needs and fighting for the best possible result for your situation. We understand that having a representative that stays in touch with you and answers your questions is important. With affordable fees, available payment plans, and high quality representation, Ambler Law can offer the help you need.