Charles City County DUI Lawyer

Have you been arrested for DUI in Charles City County? A DUI conviction can impact you for the rest of your life. It can limit your ability to drive when and where you want to go, limit your chances for jobs that require a clean driving record, and leave you wondering when that mistake is going to come up and cause you embarrassment and headaches time after time, unless you hire an attorney who can make it go away.

A DUI is not a simple matter of paying a fine or attending driving school. It is a serious crime that can cost you plenty of money:

• A $300 fine may be assessed for a first DUI.

• Court costs mount quickly.

• Impoundment of your vehicle costs you money.

• 'DUI School' through the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program costs around $300.

• The court may require that an ignition interlock system be attached to your car - at your cost.

• If a minor was in the car and the state gets a DUI conviction on the driver, the penalty is compounded with an additional mandatory five-day jail sentence and an additional fine of $500 to $1000.

• The minimum fine for a second DUI is $500. For a third DUI, the minimum mandatory fine is $1,000.

• Your insurance rates will skyrocket. In addition to out-of-pocket expenses, there are repercussions that are inconvenient and can cause you embarrassment with your family, friends, and employer:

• If your BAC was between .15 and .20, a mandatory five-day jail sentence is required. Above .20, the mandatory jail sentence is ten days.

• A BAC above .15 may incur installation of an ignition interlock system at the driver's expense that requires an alcohol-free breath test before the vehicle will start.

• Prior DUI? For the second conviction within ten years, a ten-day jail term (maximum one year) is mandatory, a minimum $500 fine, and the driver's license is revoked for three years. It is three months for a third conviction within ten years and one year in jail for a fourth offense within ten years.

• If this is the driver's second conviction within five years, the punishment is twenty days in jail; it is six months' jail time for a third offense within five years.

• The driver's third DUI offense means his license can be revoked for any amount of time at the discretion of the courts. A minimum $1,000 fine is mandatory, and instead of a misdemeanor the driver faces a Class VI felony. Being within five years of the last DUI conviction wins the driver a mandatory six-month jail term. The driver could lose ownership of his vehicle permanently.

• If your DUI had special circumstances, such as extremely high BAC, an accident, or a minor was being transported, you could face a year in jail, a $2,500 fine, and the loss of your license for up to a year.

• Your insurance rates can escalate dramatically - or you may even be refused insurance - if you are convicted of DUI.

DUI laws vary between states and counties, so hire an attorney experienced in Virginia DUI law. It is important to understand the complexities of the law as they apply to your particular case, and Attorney Tillotson will lead you through the process step-by-step. Michael Tillotson has years of experience in protecting the rights of residents of Charles City County and those who have been arrested there for DUI.

Criminal defense attorney Michael C. Tillotson is available 24-hours.