South Hill DUI Lawyer 

In Virginia, operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher legally means driving under the influence. A BAC of .04 or higher constitutes driving while impaired and both could lead to a driver being criminally charged.

If you have been charged with DUI or driving while impaired in South Hill, you are facing a criminal offense that could have a negative impact on multiple areas of your life.

A DUI conviction could result in a driver having a criminal record, being incarceration, being penalized with fines, and a driver losing their driver’s license.  When the proverbial stakes are high and a driver is at risk for such serious penalties, it is important to have the best South Hill DUI lawyer available to protect you throughout the pendency of your criminal case. Contact a skilled attorney who can start working on your case.

DUI Consequences

Even a first offense DUI conviction could impact your future. The administrative penalties can include a one-year suspension of the person’s driver’s license. The offense is a class one misdemeanor so the additional criminal penalties include:

  • Up to $2,500 fines
  • 12 months’ incarceration maximum
  • May be required to attend victim impact programs
  • May be required to perform community service

Multiple DUI Offenses

When an individual is charged with a second DUI offense within five years of the first DUI conviction, the administrative penalty includes a loss of the driver’s license for 36 months. The criminal penalties include:

  • 20 days’ minimum incarceration
  • Maximum 12 months’ incarceration
  • Fines up to $2,500
  • May be required to attend victim impact programs
  • May be required to perform community service

A second offense DUI conviction within 10 years of the first offense may result in a loss of the driver’s license for three years. Although it remains a class one misdemeanor, the criminal penalties include:

  • 10 days’ minimum incarceration
  • Maximum one-year incarceration
  • Fines up to $2,500
  • May be required to attend victim impact programs
  • May be required to perform community service

Once a driver reaches a third DUI within five years of an earlier DUI, the criminal penalties increase because the charge increases from a class one misdemeanor to a class six felony. The maximum imprisonment period is five years and the minimum incarceration period is six months.

If the third DUI conviction is within 10 years of the prior DUI conviction, the minimum incarceration period is six month. Additionally, a driver convicted of a DUI may be required to attend victim impact programs and perform community service.

How a South Hill DUI Attorney Can Help

Being charged with DUI can be a frightening experience and these cases are aggressively prosecuted. Since a driver’s freedom and, to some extent, their future is in limbo after a DUI arrest, figuring out where to place their trust is a serious decision. It is important to find an attorney that is able to craft custom-tailored strategies that are geared towards reducing or dismissing the DUI charge.

When your criminal record is at risk, you need a law firm, with a legal team that understands DUIs in Virginia and will protect your rights, despite the charges.

Contact a South Hill DUI lawyer whose main objective is to help you avoid a conviction; avoiding a conviction may include challenging evidence, searching for policy errors in the arrest video and arrest report, and uncovering any evidence that would otherwise be useful in establishing a defense.