Best Defenses for Fairfax, Virginia DUI
Fairfax, VA- Have you been charged with a DUI in Fairfax? You may be asking yourself: Do I need an attorney? Are there defenses that will help me avoid conviction? What defense is best? Fortunately, there are several effective defenses, but here we will discuss a few of the more common strategies for challenging your DUI charges.
If you still haven’t made up your mind about hiring an attorney, perhaps knowing the penalties for a conviction can help you decide. For your first DUI in Virginia, you face a minimum of five days in jail and a minimum fine of $250, though you could pay more. Your license will be suspended for at least one year, and you will have to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle, the costs of which are your responsibility. Additionally, your conviction will remain on your record for ten years, so you could be charged with a repeat offense if you make the same mistake within that period.
But those are just the legal penalties; there are also personal and professional ramifications of a DUI conviction. You could face barriers when seeking employment and could be denied professional licenses. Many people don’t realize that a DUI is going to cost them several thousand dollars in fines, administrative fees, legal expenses and increased insurance premiums.
USAttorneys recommends you speak with a DUI lawyer in Fairfax before you enter a plea or decide to handle your charges yourself. Our team of attorneys will examine your case and determine what defense strategy is best considering the fact. We’ll discuss a few of the most effective DUI defense strategies.
One way you can challenging your DUI is to question why an officer stopped you in the first place. Police cannot just stop a driver without probable cause, but some officers knowingly or unknowingly step on an individual’s rights. A DUI defense attorney is going question if an officer had enough probable cause to stop you in the first place. An officer must observe you violating a traffic law to have probable cause, and if it’s weak, you could have your charges reduced or dropped.
Another defense is to challenge the results of field sobriety tests, a breathalyzer or chemical tests. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration says field sobriety tests and breathalyzers are scientifically accurate there is some room for mistakes. The agency says that some people perform poorly on breathalyzers because of health issues like diabetes or hypoglycemia or improper calibration. A person with a back, knee or leg injury can perform poorly in field sobriety tests and wrongfully charged. Even nervousness can give an officer the impression a driver is impaired, which is why it’s smart to challenge sobriety tests and an officer’s observations.
If you have been charged with a DUI in Fairfax, we recommend you speak with a DUI lawyer as soon as you can get their advice. Call today and make an appointment to discuss your case.
USAttorneys can help you locate a DUI defense lawyer in Virginia.
