First Offense DUI in Prince William County

Facing a first offense DUI in Manassas or Prince William County, Virginia can be an incredibly overwhelming experience, especially if you are not familiar with how penalties are assigned in these cases. Below we’ll give you an overview of what to expect after your first DUI in Manassas and tell you when a Prince William DUI attorney may be able to help. As a local firm, S&R Law Firm, PLLC has substantial experience defending Manassas DUI cases and can often help you get the best possible outcome in court.

The penalties for a first offense DUI in Prince William County or Manassas are the same as those in the rest of Virginia. Once you are arrested, your license will be seized for seven days and then returned to you until you go to court. During this time, you should under absolutely no circumstances drive, as getting charged for driving while revoked can seriously complicate your case.

If you are found guilty of a first offense DUI, after your Manassas court date concludes, your license will be revoked for one year. As you can probably imagine, the loss of your license can cause a variety of hardships, including an inability to get to and from work, or if your job involves driving, the possibility of losing your job. In some cases, a DUI lawyer in Prince William County can help you get a restricted license where you can still drive to and from work or other specific important activities. An attorney will need to assess your eligibility for a restricted license based on the facts of your case.

The monetary penalty for your first offense DUI depends on the specifics of your case. You can expect to pay at least a mandatory minimum fine of $250, but if your case is more serious you could pay up to $2500. This is true for all Class 1 misdemeanor crimes. If your case involves severe complicating factors, the fine will increase. For example, your blood alcohol content (BAC) was especially high (above .15) or you caused an accident, your fine will be higher. Again, a Manassas DUI lawyer may be able to help get your fines reduced.

A first offense DUI could require you to go to jail for up to one year. In addition, you will need to successfully complete Virginia’s VASAP program . Once your license is returned, you will have to install an expensive ignition interlock device, which will not allow you to drive if your BAC is too high. You will have to keep the device intact for six months.

As far as the amount of jail time you can expect, it depends on your BAC. A low BAC of .08 (the lowest BAC for a DUI charge) your charge could be reduced to “wet reckless.” For many people, although wet reckless is still a criminal offense that will remain on their record, this is a life-changer because it does not carry a mandatory license revocation, nor does it require you to purchase the ignition interlock device. This obviously allows them to get to work or school (although you can expect your car insurance rates to sharply increase).

On the other end of the spectrum, if your BAC is .15 or above on your first offense, you will face five mandatory days in jail. If your BAC is .20 or above, you will face 10 mandatory days in jail. As you can see, in either of these cases, working with a DUI attorney serving Prince William County can be helpful in making your life more manageable after a DUI charge.

If you are facing a DUI charge, you will have to go to Prince William County General District Court at least once, but possibly more. Make sure you are on time for your hearing. Arraignments start at 8:30 am while DUI and traffic cases start at 9 am Monday through Friday at the Prince William County Courthouse.

The Manassas courthouse is located at 9311 Lee Avenue Manassas VA 20110.

If you are working with a lawyer, they will give you a sense of what to expect in court. We have also written a piece about it here.

If you are facing DUI charges in Manassas, speaking to an attorney at S&R Law Firm, PLLC can be incredibly helpful. We offer free consultations and can give you valuable information on your rights, what you can expect in court, penalties, and more.

Get in touch with us today to learn more at 703.273.6431.