Stafford County, VA DWI Cases
If you have been charged with DUI or DWI in Stafford County, you will need a highly skilled DUI attorney to represent you. Stafford is a “no nonsense” jurisdiction, meaning both the judges and prosecutors rarely show leniency when it comes to DWI offenses.
Your first court appearance is known as an arraignment. This hearing is waivable if you hire an attorney before the court date. When our DUI lawyers are retained on a Stafford case, our process begins by contacting the clerk’s office for available trial dates. We then confirm the best trial date option with the prosecutor’s office. Next, we submit our documents with the clerk, who then waives the arraignment and sets the case out for trial.
After scheduling a trial date, we send a preservation letter, discovery request and a request for the certificate of analysis of our client’s breath or blood sample. The letter is asking the prosecutor to keep a copy of all video or audio footage from the arrest. Discovery is the evidence in the DUI case, which will include a police report, criminal complaint, and the defendant’s record. The certificate of analysis is not applicable in Refusal cases.
Once we have all discovery items, we will schedule a meeting with our client. This meeting is an opportunity to review the prosecution’s case against you. We are then able to put together a defense that specific to the facts of your case and to your goals.
If you have a pending DUI or DWI charge in Stafford County, you will need the assistance of a DUI attorney who practices frequently in Stafford. Our criminal lawyers are available for free consultations: 703-542-3616.