Top 3 Things Everyone Should Know About Richmond DUIs
DUIs in Richmond has severe consequences and penalties associated with them. Prosecutors and judges treat them very seriously as well. Below, a Richmond DUI lawyer explains why it’s important to retain legal counsel, the possible penalties, and how the Commonwealth of Virginia treats DUI cases.
Often with DUI, we’re looking for specific issues and/or technical issues that most individuals would not be aware of unless you’re an experienced DUI attorney that handles these cases all the time. An attorney will typically look at:
- The timing of the stop compared with the arrest
- How the machine was operated
- How the officer conducted his tests
- If the officer was significantly or properly trained to conduct these tests
However, for a person facing DUI charges, there really are three important things they should understand.
#1 The Possible Penalties for a DUI in Richmond
The first thing that everyone should know about a DUI case in Richmond is the possible penalties involved in their particular DUI. Oftentimes we see individuals show up in court to try and handle their own case but are completely unaware of the possible penalties. We always make it a point to first educate our clients about the possible penalties they could face if convicted. DUIs come with the possibility of:
- Jail
- A long-term license suspension
In addition, a DUI convictions requires you to enroll in and complete alcohol counseling, which will be monitored by the Court. Finally, there are long-term impacts on your insurance as well as your criminal record.
#2 How The State Proves a DUI in Richmond
People also need to know how the state goes about proving the DUI, and how the laws have been written over the years to make prosecution and conviction on DUI charges much easier for the state. No matter how you felt during the time of the arrest, even if you didn’t think you were impaired or only had a “couple of beers,” all that matters for the state is what the results of your blood alcohol tests were. Even if you perform great on the tests and you felt fine, if you blow a 0.08 or higher under Virginia law you’re considered to be intoxicated and driving under the influence. I spent a lot of time during my initial consultation advising the client not only of the DUI laws in Virginia but how the Commonwealth and the prosecutors go about proving these cases and how easy it is for them to prove those cases.
#3 Help Your Richmond DUI Lawyers Help You
And then lastly, we always recommend steps that clients can take toward mitigating these cases and helping out their lawyers. Whether it’s a first or third offense, I always recommend my clients enroll in substance abuse counseling. Most courts, judges, and prosecutors don’t look at DUIs as isolated incidents. Typically they view a DUI as sign of a substance abuse issue. Counseling shows not only about willingness to address these issues but also shows you are being proactive about your case. Sometimes the enrollment in the counseling class can make the difference between us getting the charge reduced and us not being able to convince the prosecutor to reduce the charge.