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Being charged and convicted of DUI by a Manassas, VA court of law is a serious criminal offense and your best bet at protecting your future is to hire an attorney. If you or a loved one have been arrested and charged with DUI in Prince William County it is of utmost importance that you reach out to a knowledgeable and experienced Virginia DUI lawyer at your earliest convenience. Hiring a criminal defense attorney to thoroughly examine the legal details of your DUI defense case will give you a good chance for arriving at the best possible outcome. 

You need an experienced Manassas criminal defense lawyer who will work hard to develop your legal defense strategy. Do not hesitate to call our office today if you are facing the legal implications of drunk driving. Consult with an aggressive Manassas attorney today to discuss your options for minimizing the harsh penalties that result from criminal conviction. Choosing a strong lawyer to advocate on your behalf and navigate the complex criminal justice system can help you get your life back on track as soon as possible.

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What Is Considered a DUI/DWI?

The state of Virginia prioritizes safe travel for all on roads and highways and imposes severe penalties such as possible jail time and suspension of your driver’s license even for first offense DUI. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol impairs your faculties and ability to respond to the driving environment in a safe way. Upon consuming alcoholic beverages, your body accumulates a blood alcohol concentration or BAC for short. It is against the law to drive while your BAC is at or above 0.08%. It is possible to be convicted of a DWI charge with a combination of drugs and alcohol without that percentage if it can be proven you were impaired enough to be guilty of reckless driving. DWI means driving while intoxicated by mind altering substances. If you are facing such charges in Prince William County, contact us today to have an attorney get on your case as soon as possible.

While the BAC level for the average person is illegal in the state of Virginia at or above 0.08%, tolerance for other drivers is lower. A person under 21 years of age who is found to be operating a motor vehicle with a BAC 0.02% or higher can be arrested and charged for a serious underage DUI offense. Even at the legal age for consuming alcohol, if you are caught driving a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of just 0.04%, not only are you likely to lose your job, this drunk driving arrest will carry severe penalties if convicted to the full extent. In these cases, you need criminal defense lawyers ready to help fight with a fair and strong legal strategy. Our law firm has provided the best legal counsel to help many commercial vehicle drivers and juveniles fight for a fair defense following their DUI arrest.

DUI Testing and Evidence

As your DUI lawyers will show you while they build a defense strategy for your case, the validity of criminal offenses are contingent upon the facts and violated law involved. One set of details upon which possibility for conviction hangs heavily are results of testing done at the time you were accused of drunk driving. Good lawyers keep up communication with clients to explain how the evidence available can help strengthen your DUI defense in hopes of getting the best outcome.

At the time of DUI arrest, Manassas or Prince William County law enforcement may have asked you to submit to a breathalyzer test. This is a preliminary test done to help the officer determine if their suspicion regarding your intoxication is reasonable. If your breath shows a BAC above the legal limit, they may subject you to further testing to attain more accurate results. This can serve as evidence the prosecutor can use against you but that does not mean it’s a closed case. Your DUI charge may involve evidence that could be challenged which is why it’s vital your lawyer investigates the evidence to be presented in court. The Manassas DUI lawyers at our practice will look for inconsistencies and other issues that have in the past successfully resulted in DUI cases being dismissed or lessened penalties.

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Can Marijuana Use Lead to DUI?

Intoxication that leads to a Manassas DUI charge is not limited to alcohol only. Any drug or substance that impairs your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle is illegal. If you have been arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated by marijuana, a DUI attorney in Prince William County can help advocate for your rights. Those include your right to legal representation to develop a case in your defense. A strong DUI lawyer can help you understand how laws regarding this substance are evolving and may know about new developments therefore that may work in your favor. 

Consequences of DUI Conviction

DUI charges in Prince William County followed by successful conviction by state prosecutors result in significant, life altering punishments. Some of these are imposed on persons convicted guilty in criminal cases directly by the court system but there can be other consequences that seem to reach parts of your life you hadn’t imagined possible. We are experienced Manassas attorneys who can navigate the law process and help you fight mandatory minimum jail sentences associated with DUI convictions as a result of a drunk driving accusation. 

Additionally, the court is mandated to impose fines. Many facts surrounding your DUI charges weigh in to determine just how much you will be required to pay. Clients sometimes are unaware that repeat DUI offenses result in increased fines and worse penalties for each subsequent incident. A third offense of DUI conviction is a felony, a serious crime which carries harsh punishment including a prison sentence. Consequences following a DUI arrest have the possibility of being lessened if you have a strong DUI defense case developed by attorneys who have your best interests in mind. 

Fines and Other Financial Considerations

Manassas DUI cases do best in court of law when represented by attorneys experienced and well versed in Virginia DUI law. Expensive court imposed fines range from $250 minimum up to $2,500, depending entirely on the events and details coinciding with your DUI arrest. There are other financial concerns your DUI lawyer can advocate to be lessened for you as well. These include but are not limited to:

  • Any additional fines or fees imposed by court system
  • Increased automobile insurance premiums
  • Court ordered substance abuse education courses 
  • Installation and maintenance of Ignition Interlock Device
  • Alternate transportation while driving privilege is suspended or revoked
  • Driver’s License reinstatement fees

Hiring an aggressive lawyer after a DUI charge in Prince William County may seem like a heavy expense at first glance. However, the legal guidance our firm provides clients will be your best defense for the possibility of a lesser sentence. Drunk driving is an expensive problem to be facing and any leniency your DUI attorney may be able to negotiate on your behalf is well worth the effort. 

Driving Privilege Loss and Limitations

Trusting your criminal defense representation to a DUI attorney at the Law Offices of Michael Pignone is a wise choice. This could mean the difference between potentially losing your driving privileges and possibly having your criminal charges reduced or dismissed altogether. As soon as possible following a drunk driving arrest, please contact our firm to have an experienced criminal defense attorney fight for you just as we have intently fought for many clients.

Quality DUI defense attorneys know how the system works. We can find the missing pieces that may be key to avoiding revocation of your driver’s license following a drunk driving arrest. The sooner an attorney on our team examines the facts of your situation the better in order to determine the best ways to be granted leniency in your sentencing. Consider the difference between losing your driving privileges for a long period of time or instead only a shorter time frame and perhaps not at all. Lessening of penalties or the possibility for dismissal is the benefit of a DUI lawyer solidifying a strong defense on your behalf. 

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Legal Defense Strategy

One of the most stressful experiences of your life might be having been arrested and charged with DUI after using alcohol or drugs and drunk driving in Manassas, Virgina. If this is the situation you or your loved one find yourself in, loss of driving privileges and jail time are part of a probable outcome but an attorney can help you fight your charges and possibly avoid conviction. You will not want to attempt navigating the complex criminal justice system on your own without guidance of a knowledgeable and aggressive Manassas DUI lawyer. Call the attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael Pignone today for a free evaluation of your case. You will be glad you trusted your drunk driving charges defense plan to the experienced DUI lawyers at our firm.