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Newport News DUI Lawyers

• Michael Tillotson: What are the Penalties for a Virginia DUI? Any person in violation of DUI laws in the state of Virginia will be subject to harsh penalties with increasing severity based on the blood alcohol level.  In addition to fines, jail time and license suspension, you may face additional penalties including mandatory alcohol education programs and the installation of an ignition interlock device on your vehicle as well as grossly increased insurance costs and potential loss of your employment. 1st Offense: Class 1 Misdemeanor requiring a maximum 12 months jail time $250 Minimum fine 12-month license suspension Immediate license restriction for 7 days With BAC at .15 - .20: 5 days mandatory minimum jail time $250 Minimum fine 12-month license suspension with Ignition Interlock installed on your vehicle Immediate license restriction for 7 days With BAC at .21+ 10 days mandatory minimum jail time $250 Minimum fine 12-month license suspension and Ignition Interlock installed on your vehicle Immediate license restriction for 7 days 2nd Offense: ŠWithin 5 years Class 1 Misdemeanor requiring 20 days mandatory minimum jail time $500 minimum fine 3 year license suspension with Ignition Interlock installed on your vehicle No restricted license for 1st year Within 10 years Class 1 Misdemeanor requiring 10 days mandatory minimum jail time $500 minimum fine 3 year license suspension with Ignition Interlock installed on your vehicle No restricted license for 4 months With BAC at .15 - .20: Class 1 Misdemeanor requiring 10 additional days of jail time on top of 2nd offense minimums $500 minimum fine 3 year license suspension with Ignition Interlock installed on your vehicle With BAC at .21+ Class 1 Misdemeanor requiring 20 additional days of jail time on top of 2nd offense minimums $500 minimum fine 3 year license suspension with Ignition Interlock installed on your vehicle 3rd Offense: ŠWithin 5 years Class 6 Felony; 90 days mandatory jail time $1000 minimum fine License eligible after 5 years No restricted license Within 10 years Class 6 Felony; 6 months mandatory jail time $1000 minimum fine License eligible after 5 years No restricted license 4th Offense 1 year mandatory jail time with maximum 3 years probation $1000 minimum fine License eligible after 5 years No restricted license In addition, any person convicted of a DUI violation with a person 17 years of age or younger in the vehicle will be fined an additional $500 - $1,000 and sentenced to a mandatory minimum of five days in jail. Additional Penalty Information Driversı License Suspension Any driver with a BAC of .08 or higher, or drivers that refuse to submit to BAC testing, are subject to mandatory suspension of a drivers license. Most states impose harsher penalties for second or third DUI offenses, typically those that occur within five years of a prior DUI offense. In Virginia, a drivers license will the suspended for 7 days for the first DUI offense. Alcohol Education Programs When convicted of a DUI offense, the state of Virginia requires that all offenders complete a mandatory Alcohol Safety Action Program as well as assessment for potential alcohol dependency.  In accordance with the State of Virginia all offenders are required to participate in mandatory completion of Alcohol Safety Action Program. Ignition Interlock In order to protect you and those around you, the state requires installation of an Ignition Interlock system on your vehicle.  The device measures your blood alcohol level of the driver. If your more than the preset minimum BAC (such as 02 BAC) is detected, the device will prevent the operation of the vehicle.  In most cases, the state will require the DUI offender to incur all costs of the ignition interlock device including the installation, rental and maintenance.  In Virginia, you will be required to install an ignition interlock device if your blood alcohol level is 0.15 or higher when you are arrested for driving under the influence.
• John Rice: Driving while under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs often leads to arrest, license revocation, and drunk driving charges.
• Stephen Dunnigan: ... being confronted with any sort of legal dilemma can be quite perplexing, causing great anxiety and fear of the possible legal consequences.
• Frank & Frank: Facing a criminal charge, no matter how minor it may seem, can be a complicated and confusing process. You should not answer a criminal charge without the advice and guidance of an experienced criminal attorney.
• Daniel Morrissette: Dealing with a criminal charge is often frightening.  You may have questions about the law, or about the procedure involved in a criminal case.