Prince William & Manassas, VA

Many who are charged with DUI in Manassas or Prince William County, Virginia are not aware of the penalties they are facing if they are convicted of DUI. If you are facing a DUI 1^st offense in Manassas, VA, you could be facing a maximum 12 month jail sentence and a $2500 fine. The penalties increase with each DUI offense, and it is also important to understand that ignition interlock, alcohol classes and probation may also be required. Unsure about the consequences of your Manassas DUI? Contact our office today at (703) 844-3746 to schedule your free consultation with an experienced Manassas DUI lawyer.

Contact a Skilled Manassas DUI Lawyer Today!

Our Manassas DUI lawyers have helped both adults and juveniles fight their DUI charge in Manassas, Manassas City and throughout Prince William County. It is essential to hire a DUI lawyer near Manassas because having a DUI lawyer that is familiar with the specific area of Myour charge is the most fundamental aspect of your defense. DUI lawyers who practice near Manassas are familiar with not only the prosecutors but also the judges in Manassas. Our DUI lawyers plan a strategic approach to each Manassas DUI case according to the specific facts of the DUI charge, the prosecutor who is assigned to the DUI case, and the judge that will preside at trial.

The penalties for a DUI conviction in Manassas and Prince William are the same as any other jurisdiction within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Read about Virginia DUI penalties here. What differs with a DUI near Manassas is the prosecutors and judges – which is why you should consult with an experienced Manassas DUI lawyer right away. Be sure to hire a DUI lawyer who is familiar with Manassas and how to build the proper defense for your DUI charge. Read specific information about your DUI charge in Virginia here.

The Prince William County Courthouse is located at 9311 Lee Avenue Manassas, Virginia 20110. The clerk’s office is opened Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. There is ample parking near the courthouse. Unless you are an attorney, you are not permitted to bring your cell phone inside the courthouse.

If your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was a .08% or higher, you are considered to be driving while intoxicated in Virginia. There are two categories of “elevated” blood alcohol concentration: BAC between .15% and .19% and BAC of .20% or greater. The penalties for a DWI with an elevated BAC between .15% and .19% are greater than a DWI of .14% or lower. Likewise, if your BAC was .20% or higher, your penalties are even greater. For specific information on elevated BAC in Virginia, click here.

If you are under the age of 21 and charged with DUI or DWI in Manassas, you are facing the same consequences as a standard Manassas DUI. The Commonwealth of Virginia has a zero-tolerance policy for drunk driving and Manassas follows this rule. It is in your best interest to speak with a Manassas DUI attorney immediately. Read more about underage DUI here. Our DUI lawyers have reached fantastic resolutions for our underage DUI cases in Manassas – schedule your free consultation today by calling (703) 844-3746.

If you were charged with Refusal in addition to DUI near Manassas, this means you are facing a secondary, civil charge. You refused to submit to the chemical testing of both your breath (at the police station) and blood (taken at the nearest hospital). Because having a driver’s license in Virginia is a privilege as opposed to a “right,” licensed drivers automatically consent to this testing each time they operate a motor vehicle. Read more about the consequences of Refusal in Manassas here.

Discovery or “Evidence Gathering” in a Manassas DUI or DWI Case occurs via motion. Rule 7C:5 of the Virginia Supreme Court states that the prosecution must turn over three pieces of information to the defense in a Virginia DUI case:

1. Any relevant oral or written statements made by the defendant
2. The defendant’s criminal record
3. Any information on expert witnesses (if applicable)

*Please note this process typically takes several weeks, and we will notify you as soon as we have any updates.

1. For breath cases: DC-302 (Certificate of Breath/Blood Analysis). This does not apply to refusal cases. The certificate is mailed to us anywhere from two to six weeks after it is requested.
2. For blood cases: DC-303 (Motion for Transmission of Blood Sample). This does not apply to refusal cases.

Once we receive the Certificate of Analysis, we contact the Department of Forensic Science (DFS) with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.* This does not apply for refusal cases. 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.

*Please note this process typically takes several weeks, and we will notify you as soon as we have any updates.

If you have retained us prior to any of these dates, you will likely not need to attend this hearing. The purpose of the arraignment is to inform you (defendant) of your DUI charge(s) and explain your right to hire a lawyer. DUI Arraignments in Manassas are at 8:30 am. If you have hired your DUI lawyer prior to your Attorney Review or Information on Attorney date, you will not need to attend this hearing. However, always confirm this information with your Manassas DUI lawyer.

Manassas DUI and DWI misdemeanor DUI cases are heard at 9:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. Cell phones are not permitted inside the courthouse. Please wait for your DUI lawyer inside the back of your courtroom. If discovery was received prior to this hearing, your case may be finalized at this court hearing. Discovery entails all documents and video/audio footage of your arrest (IF video/audio exists). It is not uncommon for our firm to receive discovery in Manassas DUI cases after the first court hearing. If this happens with your case, your case will likely receive a new court date at your first hearing. Unless told otherwise by your DUI lawyer, you will not be required to speak. The second court date is typically scheduled 3 to 9 weeks after the first court date. The clerk of the court determines your next court date, not your lawyer. If there is video, your attorney will obtain a copy and watch it with you at a later time in his or her office.

If discovery was obtained between your first and second court hearing, your case MAY be finalized at your second hearing. Depending on discovery, your DUI lawyer will either advise for or against taking your case to trial. If your attorney believes you would lose at trial, he or she will discuss all possible plea bargains with the prosecutor. If you are unsatisfied with the prosecutor’s offer and your attorney believes a different prosecutor may offer a better deal, your attorney will advise you to continue the case for a third hearing. This way, your case may have a new prosecutor and new plea offers.

There are a number of reasons why your DUI hearing in Manassas may need to be rescheduled or “continued.” The defendant (you) may be out of town, have last minute work obligations or a serious illness. If you need to change your court date, you must let your attorney know right away. Please contact us at least two weeks prior to your scheduled court date if you need to reschedule it. It is usually very difficult for attorneys to have continuance requests granted two or three days before the scheduled court date.

On the other hand, many DUI defense attorneys in Manassas need to request continuances from judges on their own. Your DUI lawyer reserves the right to continue your case for scheduling purposes (i.e. a Fairfax court hearing at 9:30 a.m. would be difficult for an attorney to make if he or she is also scheduled in Prince William at 9:00 a.m.). Every court’s hearing dates are scheduled according to police officers’ assigned court dates. Typically, each officer has anywhere from 1 to 3 assigned court dates each month. For example, your arresting officer is Officer Smith and your current court date is set for June 3. You or your attorney cannot make that date, so your DUI case is continued. Your new court date is set for Officer Smith’s next assigned court date, which is July 16.

There is always a possibility that your lawyer will need to reschedule your current court date. Most DUI lawyers will notify you of this need as soon as possible, although many times attorneys must request continuances the week of the scheduled court date. As stated above, DUI and criminal defense lawyers have scheduling conflicts that require them to frequently rearrange court dates. However, if your DUI lawyer postpones your court date, this will not have any effect on the outcome of your case. Both judges and prosecutors are extremely used to continuance requests, as these requests are made and granted daily. If your case is continued to a new date, this does not reflect poorly on you.

The Commonwealth of Virginia provides an online “case system,” which is a helpful tool for both DUI lawyers 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 DUI case* in Manassas. 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 DUI 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 Prince William County
• 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.

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