In Virginia, DUI (Driving Under the Influence) charges are treated possibly harsher than in any other state in the country.  For this reason, it is critical to hire an experienced Alexandria DUI attorney to work on your case and develop a proper defense strategy.  It is important to remember that any amount of alcohol in your system can result in a DUI charge and conviction.  While the legal limit for Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is .08, you can test below a .08 BAC and still be arrested and convicted for DUI if the Commonwealth can prove that you were impaired.

Potential Penalties For a First-Time DUI Conviction:

• Jail Incarceration (length depends on the BAC level)
• Up to $2500 Fine
• 12 months loss of driver’s license
• If granted a restricted license, you will be required to pay for and install an ignition interlock device
• 6 points on your Virginia driver’s license
• Completion of ASAP (Alcohol Safety & Awareness Program) at your expense

Experienced Alexandria DUI Lawyer

We have considerable experience representing clients charged with DUI in Alexandria County courts.  When you are facing a drunk driving charge or any motor vehicle traffic offense, you need fast, accurate answers about your situation and the best way to proceed. The defense attorneys at Ervin Kibria understand your concerns and your sense of urgency in dealing with a difficult situation.

• The consequences for DUI: Clients who reach out to us concerning a DUI arrest often share common questions. These concerns are best addressed by a lawyer experienced with DUI cases. While every case is different, clients often struggle with understanding what a DUI conviction would mean. Will there be a criminal record? Jail time? Loss of a driver’s license? We’re here to listen to your concerns, answer your questions to the best of our ability, and guide through the difficult legal process.

• An aggressive defense: The consequences of a DUI charge often depend on having an experienced lawyer to represent you. At Ervin Kibria, we have the necessary experience to aggressively investigate, defend and challenge the charges.

• We work with you: We do not treat cases as if they were a car on an assembly line. We are not a DUI mill. We are personalized. We are accessible. We are hands on. We keep our practice small so we can be completely dedicated to giving our clients the very best representation. When you hire us you have direct access to us, not a law clerk, or a paralegal, or an associate attorney.

Whether you are dealing with a DUI charge or a serious traffic offense that can put points on your driver’s license, you can depend on the defense lawyers at Ervin Kibria.

Standard DUI Penalties For First Offense:

For a first offense, Virginia DUI penalties are still considerably harsh.  DUI convictions will always include a probationary period for one year, completion of alcohol treatment classes provided by ASAP, a fine that tends to run between $250-$500, loss of license for 12 months, jail incarceration (with some or all of that time suspended), and installation of an ignition interlock device if the defendant applies for a restricted driver’s license.

DUI Penalties With a Prior DUI Conviction

A prior DUI conviction will have serious implications on any subsequent offense.  In general, a prior DUI conviction will be used to increase your DUI from a misdemeanor to a felony if it is a third or subsequent offense within 10 years, impose higher penalties for your new offense, and potentially implicate the mandatory sentencing requirements for your new conviction.

What is Virginia’s Implied Consent Law?

You may have heard or read about Virginia’s “implied consent law,” without really understanding what it refers to.  In Virginia, if you drive a vehicle on a public highway (which is any publicly accessible road), you are assumed to have impliedly consented to a blood or breath test being performed if you are ever arrested for a DUI.  Consequently, you can and likely will be punished with another charge if you refuse to submit to take these sobriety tests.  Virginia Code Section 18.2-268.3 makes it illegal to “unreasonably refuse” to have samples of your blood or breath taken for chemical analysis to determine the alcohol or drug content after a drunk driving arrest has occurred.

While a first refusal crime is considered a civil, rather than criminal offense, the penalties are still severe.  The refusal charge requires a 1-year driver’s license suspension.  A 2nd or 3rd refusal causes the offense to be treated as a criminal matter, and can often result in jail time.