Arlington, VA

Although it is well known that the Commonwealth of Virginia is notorious for its DUI laws, Arlington County is among the strictest jurisdiction for DUI and DWI charges within Virginia. Both the prosecutors and judges in Arlington County have an extremely low tolerance for DUI, which creates an upward battle for any Arlington DUI defense lawyer. If you are facing a DUI charge in Arlington, Virginia, be sure to consult with criminal defense attorneys near Arlington who are skilled at negotiating with Arlington’s DUI prosecutors and experienced in building an aggressive DUI defense for Arlington cases.

Arlington County comprises several towns, including Clarendon, Rosslyn, Ballston, Crystal City, Westover, Shirlington, Lyon Village, Courthouse, Pentagon City and Virginia Square. If you were charged with DUI in any of these towns, your case will likely be heard at the Arlington County Courthouse.

If you are facing a DUI or DWI charge in Arlington, Virginia, you likely have many questions. The task of finding the best criminal and Arlington DUI lawyer for your case can be daunting, and it is important that you research as many DUI lawyers near Arlington as possible before making a decision. A good DUI lawyer will be able to explain the possible outcomes of your specific DUI, have DUI awards and accolades and be reasonably priced. The number of experienced, affordable Arlington DUI lawyers is lengthy, but your search is simplified when if you know which qualifications to look for in skilled DUI lawyers.

The Arlington County Courthouse is located at 1425 N. Courthouse Road Arlington, Virginia 22201. The clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:00 pm and the phone number is (703) 228-7900. Cell phones are not permitted inside the Arlington courthouse. DUI and DWI cases in Arlington are typically heard at 9:00 am, 9:30am, 10:00am or 10:30am Monday through Friday.

Arlington DUI cases have their arraignments Monday through Fridays at 2:00pm. An arraignment, or “advisement” hearing is where the judge informs the defendant (you) of the DUI charge, asks the defendant if he or she understands the charge and how he or she wishes to plea, and explains the defendant’s right to hire a DUI or criminal defense attorney. Most defendants choose to hire a DUI attorney near Arlington to ensure a strategic defense for their case.

After the arraignment hearing, DUI cases typically have an attorney review hearing or “information on attorney” hearing (letting the court know if you have hired a lawyer and who the lawyer is). If you retain a lawyer prior to your arraignment, you will not need to attend your arraignment or your attorney review hearing. If you retain an attorney after your arraignment and before your attorney review hearing, you will not need to attend the attorney review hearing.

Once the arraignment and/or attorney review hearings have passed, the judge sets the case for trial. Typically, the DUI trial date between 30 and 90 days from your attorney review hearing date. During that time frame, the discovery (evidence collecting) process begins.

The discovery (evidence collecting) process varies within each jurisdiction in Virginia. The Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office has an “open door” policy, meaning your DUI defense lawyer schedules an appointment to come review discovery at the Commonwealth’s office. The Arlington DUI prosecutors make discovery available to the defense no sooner than 21 days from the trial date. Rule 7C:5 of the Virginia Supreme Court states that the prosecution must turn over three pieces of information to the defense:

1. Any relevant oral or written statements made by the defendant: This means that if the Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office (prosecutor) chooses to, he or she may hand over only the statements you made rather than the full report showing your statements within the context they were made. However, the majority of prosecutors permit Arlington defense lawyers to review all items within the file, including the full DUI report and video footage (if video exists).
2. The defendant’s criminal record.
3. Any information on expert witnesses (if applicable).

Once our Arlington DUI lawyers have received discovery, you will be able to schedule a time to come in to our law office and review the materials, including potential video footage of your DUI arrest. Once your lawyer has all the information that the prosecutor has, that is when your lawyer is equipped with the facts of your case and ready to build your defense specific to your DUI case. At this point you and your attorney will discuss all possible options, whether that be taking your DUI charge to trial or discussing plea deals with the prosecutor.

If you have been charged with DUI or DWI in Arlington, VA and provided a breath sample at the police station, the result of that test is what is known as your blood alcohol concentration level or BAC. It is your defense attorney’s responsibility to file a request with the clerk for the certificate of analysis of your breath test. Once our law office has received the certificate back from the court, our lawyers send a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA) to the Department of Forensic Science regarding the machine used to your breath sample. The information within these documents outlines the specifics of the machine used for your breath analysis. We examine the dates this machine was last transferred, calibrated and certified.

DWI blood cases are typically not as common as DUI breath cases. In the event that you are charged with DUI in Virginia and cannot provide a breath sample, the arresting officer will ask you to provide a blood sample at the nearest hospital. It is your defense attorney’s responsibility to file a motion with the court requesting the transmission of your blood sample for an independent analysis. This process usually takes several weeks and can prolong a DWI case in Arlington. Should you refuse to provide both a breath and blood sample, you will be charged with a civil violation of “refusal.” Read more about the refusal charge in Virginia here.

The Commonwealth of Virginia provides an online “case system,” which may be helpful to both attorneys and their clients. You may use this site to look up individual court information, such as phone numbers, addresses, and policies as well as information on your specific case.* Please note that if your case is being handled in the Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court, you will not be able to access your case information online. You may check the status of your case at Virginia's Judicial System Website any time. Locate the tab on the left-hand side of the home page, and then click the following:

• Online Services
• Case Status and Information
• General District Court (you will be asked to enter the reCAPTCHA)
• Under the “Court” tab, select Arlington County or Fairfax City
• Under Traffic/Criminal, click Name Search

The ability to check your case status online may be helpful for a number of reasons:

1. You forgot your court date or time
2. You want to check in advance which courtroom you’ll be in (some are not posted until the morning of the scheduled hearing)
3. You want to check your previous charges
4. You want to confirm that your attorney is on record
5. You want to know the name of your arresting officer
6. You want to know your case number

*If you do not see your case posted, do not be alarmed. Some cases are not posted online until a week or even a day before the court date. If your case is in the Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court, you will not have access to your case information online.

Arlington, Virginia is one of the strictest jurisdictions within the Commonwealth of Virginia for a DWI of DUI offense, even if you have been charged with a 1^st offense DUI. The penalties increase with an elevated blood alcohol concentration (BAC), which is why it is important to discuss your DUI charge with an Arlington lawyer as soon as possible. For specific information on the consequences of an elevated BAC in a Virginia DWI, please read here.

As previously stated, Arlington, Virginia is among the strictest jurisdictions for DUI and DWI. If you are convicted of either DUI or DWI in Arlington, you face the same possible penalties as anywhere else in the state. Keep in mind that an Arlington DUI defense lawyer will have a much better idea of what penalties and fines you will be facing should you be convicted.

1. When I Was Arrested for DUI / DWI in Arlington, the Officer Took My License. How / When Will I Get it Back?
2. My Arlington DUI Lawyer Advised Me to Sign Up for VASAP Classes – How Do I Do This? Can I Take the Classes Online?
3. My Arlington DUI Attorney Advised Me to Gather Character Letters – How Do I Do This?
4. Do I Need to Attend My Court Date for My Arlington DUI or DWI?
5. What Should I Wear to Court in Arlington?
6. How Long Will My DUI Hearing in Arlington Take?
7. Do I Need to Arrive Early to My DUI Hearing in Arlington?
8. Am I Allowed to Bring My Cell Phone Inside the Arlington Courthouse? Inside My Courtroom?
9. On the Morning of Court, Will I Meet My DUI Attorney at the Office or the Arlington Courthouse?
10. Where Do I Park at the Arlington Courthouse?
11. Do I Need to Contact My DUI Lawyer Once I’ve Arrived at the Courthouse / Courtroom?
12. Will I be Required to Speak at My Hearing?
13. Is it Okay to Post About My Case on Social Media? Can I Talk About My Case With Others?
14. Someone I Know Was Charged With _______ but Their DUI Attorney Had It Amended to _______. Will This Happen for Me Too?
15. I Won’t be Able to Attend my Current Court Date – Can We Change the Date?