Why is it important to hire an attorney for my Virginia DUI case?

Virginia DUI law is complex. Not only that, but the punishments for a Virginia DUI conviction are harsh. Often, the best defenses to a DUI charge are technical in nature and require the knowledge of an experienced Virginia DUI lawyer.

What if I choose not to consent to a breathalyzer test?

If you choose not to consent to a breathalyzer test, it’s called a “refusal.” A first-time refusal is a civil offense and carries an administrative one-year driver’s license suspension. If you have a prior refusal or a prior DUI conviction, refusing to take chemical testing is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which carries the possibility of criminal punishment, as well as a three-year driver’s license suspension. Keep in mind that refusing a breathalyzer test doesn’t mean that the government cannot prosecute you for DUI. They might be able to proceed with a case based on circumstantial evidence of intoxication in addition to evidence of dangerous driving.

Virginia Criminal Defense Lawyer

Experience our expertise. We know how to organize it so you don’t have to.

Getting past the feelings of going through a criminal charge and back to your life takes a lot of legal planning, paperwork, and red tape. This is where our experience really pays off for our clients. Finding ways to get our clients out of criminal charges or bringing people through the criminal processing fast and easy have always been our primary goals. In law, experience definitely yields positive outcomes.

If you’ve been charged with a crime or know that you’re under investigation for criminal violation, seek legal representation from a reputable Virginia criminal law firm immediately. Michael Pignone is an attorney who has years of criminal law knowledge and experience. Call today to discuss your legal defense.

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Cases We Handle

We represent clients who have been charged with the following crimes and offenses:

Violent Crimes

If you’ve been charged with a violent crime, you could face severe penalties, especially if it’s a felony crime, like assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, or rape. Violent crimes or crimes against persons include the following:

Robbery
Carjacking
Assault and Battery
Domestic Violence
Child Abuse
Elderly Abuse
Kidnapping
Homicide and Attempted Homicide

Traffic Crimes

While many moving violations are dealt with at the administrative level, certain traffic violations can lead to an arrest or a mandatory appearance in the Virginia courts. Reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving with a suspended license, and hit-and-run are all examples of criminal traffic offenses.

Regardless of whether your driving charge carries administrative or criminal penalties, it’s best to work with a skilled attorney to represent you in court.

Drug Crimes

The possession, sale, distribution, or manufacturing of a scheduled substance is a criminal offense in Virginia. Depending on the type of drugs, the amount involved, and the alleged activity, drug offenses are often charged as felony offenses.

Property Crimes

Property crime charges, like theft or vandalism, are usually based on the value of the property in question. For instance, if the aggregate value of the stolen property is $1,000 or more, it is grand theft — which is a felony offense.

ARRESTED ON DUI CHARGES? WE’LL TAKE THE LOAD OFF.

Being charged with driving under the influence (DUI) can be an incredibly frightening experience. In the state of Virginia, these types of cases are prosecuted with extreme tenacity and can expose a person to a variety of harsh legal consequences, including expensive fines, mandatory alcohol education program participation, lengthy driver’s license suspensions, and even jail time. Since a person’s reputation and future can hang in the balance after a DUI arrest, knowing where to turn or who to trust can be confusing. Fortunately, the hard-hitting Northern Virginia DUI lawyer at the Law Offices of Michael Pignone makes this decision easy.

Common Criminal Defense Strategies

The United States Constitution ensures that the criminal justice system treats every accused person as innocent until proven guilty. To obtain a conviction, the prosecutor must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Experienced Virginia criminal defense lawyers are proficient at raising that reasonable doubt.

Here are some strategies that Virginia criminal defense lawyers like Michael Pignone may use to protect your rights and help you avoid a criminal conviction.

Challenge the Stop

Law enforcement officers must have a legal and articulable reason to stop a person, whether they are driving, walking, or just standing somewhere. However, police officers are often overzealous in the pursuit of their duties and stop individuals without probable cause or reasonable suspicion.

Criminal defense attorneys should always examine the reason a police officer used to make contact with their clients. If the stop is invalid, any evidence they uncovered is inadmissible in court.

Entrapment

The police are not allowed to convince you to commit a crime. This is entrapment, and an experienced attorney familiar with criminal matters will always examine their client’s case for signs of it.

These are just a few of the defenses that top-tier Virginia criminal defense lawyers use to help their clients beat misdemeanor and felony criminal charges. Our Virginia criminal defense attorney will tailor a specific defense for your case once he’s familiar with all of the circumstances.

Unlawful Interrogation

You have the right to remain silent, which is in your best interest in most criminal cases. If you told the police that you wanted to speak to a lawyer, they are not allowed to continue questioning you. Any responses that they illicit will be inadmissible.

Illegal Search

The police cannot search you, your property, your vehicle, etc. without your permission or a warrant — with some exceptions. However, many officers don’t want to spend the time to go through the legal process required to obtain a warrant. If the search is illegal, everything the police uncover is inadmissible — known as the fruit of the poisonous tree.

Criminal Defense FAQ

These are some of the most common questions that our clients facing criminal offenses ask. For answers to questions about your own criminal case, call the Law Offices of Michael Pignone to speak to a knowledgeable Virginia criminal lawyer.

Should I accept a plea agreement?

Is drug possession a felony charge?

Why choose Michael A. Pignone?

Experience, dedication and results

• We Win. In over a decade of private practice, Michael has defended thousands of cases involving everything from DUI to 1st degree murder. Michael is known throughout the legal communities in Virginia as an aggressive and knowledgeable defense attorney. We do not stop until we win!

• We Have Insider Knowledge. Michael has started his career early on working at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, where he gained insider knowledge on how cases are prosecuted. Additionally, Michael is currently the prosecutor for the City of Manassas Park. This experience is an important advantage when you choose a criminal defense lawyer!

• We Are Local. Born and raised in Northern Virginia, Michael has been living and breathing the judicial system in NoVA for over 20 years and has formed valuable connections and networks that help give a superior insight into the system.

• We Are Available 24/7. You can wholeheartedly rely on us for any emergency. We’ve got your back!

• We Are Specialized. Michael has dedicated the last 20 years to defending DUI cases, traffic offenses, drug charges, and other criminal offenses. We are a highly-specialized law firm with a very strong criminal focus.

• We Treat Each Client As Our Only One. Your case will be handled directly by Michael with utmost care, attention to detail, and ample communication. We treat each client as our own family.

Client Testimonials

My daughter recently received a ticket for reckless driving. It is the first speeding ticket she has ever gotten. Michael worked with her and the court to have it fully dismissed if she agreed to a court ordered driver improvement class. He is professional and courteous. Top notch individual. Do yourself a favor and hire this gentleman. Won't be disappointed!

- Kevin B.

I hired Mike through a friends referral for a serious wreckless driving charge. He was thorough, professional, and affordable. He was able to have my ticket resolved efficiently due to his relationship with the prosecutor. I hope I never need him again, but if I do, Mike will be the first call!

- Jeff L.

Legal Blog

Sep 23, 2022 | DUI

Charged with a DUI?

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