Virginia DUI arrests and prosecutions are often pursued by true believers- Get yourself a true believer DWI defense lawyer

Virginia DUI arrests and prosecutions often, if not usually, are pursued by true believers among police officers and prosecutors. As a Fairfax DUI lawyer, I am providing you this timely DUI defense information during this holiday weekend when police are all the more on the lookout for alleged DUI offenders enjoying a long weekend that often includes the merriment of beer, wine and other alcohol. Part of today’s blog entry is to underline not to look for any bleeding heart your way from police who investigate and arrest you for allegedly violating the law against driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs under Virginia Code § 18.2-266, nor from prosecutors — also known as assistant commonwealth attorneys — who pursue these cases in court. They have been indoctrinated to believe that they are doing a great public service in enforcing the Virginia DUI laws, thinking they are making everyone safer and less likely to be injured, maimed and killed. Consequently, it is ideal to get yourself a criminal defense lawyer who not only will not flinch to defend you, but who knows s/he is on the side of the angels in defending those accused of violating the Virginia DUI law, let alone in advocating for all criminal defendants.

How do I avoid becoming a prosecuted and convicted statistic?

Eat, drink and be merry has its place when we have our leisure time, but always responsibly and in balance. Beer, wine and liquor can be fun before the stage of drunkenness, but can also bring out the vicious (to the point of being prosecuted for an alleged assault) and even down in the dumps side of many people, at least when engaged to excess. Moreover, alcohol can impair judgment not only about driving when I urge people to stay away from the wheel within 24 hours after drinking, but also about such important decision making as choosing sexual partners and engaging in safe sex or not. Consequently, if you are going to drink beer, wine or other alcohol, preferably you will have a strategy before such consumption for staying away from the wheel for many hours after consuming. If you nonetheless do get investigated, arrested, and even prosecuted as among the many Virginia DUI arrests taking place this weekend and beyond, ideally you will have in advance read some of my blogposts how to handle yourself when a DWI suspect, and if you get charged with violating the Virginia DUI law, that is the time to call me for a free initial in-person confidential consultation.

Why are so many Virginia police and prosecutors true believers in DUI prosecution?

With Virginia DUI arrests, even prosecutors who see such work as a stepping stone to Virginia DUI defense and criminal defense lawyer work — and even police who are willing to consult for criminal defense lawyers after going into the private sector — are flooded with training information supporting the arrest and prosecution of DWI suspects. Even the top-flight former police officer who trained me and others in administering and evaluating standard field sobriety tests shares his belief, when the tests are administered and evaluated correctly (but often are not administered and evaluated correctly by police), that such testing as the horizontal gaze nystagmus test is reliable to indicate alcohol impairment.

Why does Virginia DUI lawyer Jon Katz believe so strongly in DWI and criminal defense?

My motivation for defending those accused of violating the Virginia DUI and criminal laws has always been to help individuals caught up in our overcriminalized society, while defending their civil liberties under the Bill of Rights. On top of that, I love the battle and the victories I obtain in the process. As much as some very good criminal defense lawyers advised me to consider starting my criminal defense career by prosecuting, I could never stomach the prospect of doing that. I do not know of any way a person could prosecute Virginia DUI arrests and other criminal charges, and not get caught up in enforcing some of the most egregiously oppressive laws, including the wrongful pretrial detention of too many presumed-innocent people, unjust sentencing schemes (including mandatory minimums), and criminalization of what should not be criminalized in the first place (for instance marijuana, prostitution and gambling), let alone obtaining convictions that might have been obtained with false police claims or reckless or sloppy police work and investigations. That was all my motivation. The proof is in the pudding that I still get the same thrill today from obtaining justice for my clients as I did in my first month as a criminal defense lawyer.

How to answer the people who claim that those fighting for Virginia DUI defendants are enabling drunk drivers to maim and kill innocent victims

Plenty of well meaning people claim that fighting Virginia DUI arrests is wrongheaded and enables drunk drivers to injure, maim and kill innocent victims, and not to change their ways. If they are willing to listen to my response, I say that the Virginia DUI law and jurisprudence amount to overkill, where a conviction can be obtained for as low as a 0.08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) when BAC should only be part of the consideration in determining if one is excessively under the influence, where the law and jurisprudence gives too much credence to the completely fallible Intox EC/IR II breathalyzer test (as well as to roadside preliminary breath testing (PBT) for considering whether to arrest for DWI), and where the definition of Virginia DUI without a breath or blood test is about as watered down as one can get: consuming enough alcohol to noticeably affect one’s appearance and/or behavior. I know I am on the side of the angels in defending those accused of violating the Virginia DUI law.

Even a DUI defendant who believes in such laws and enforcement needs a good lawyer on their side

When among those caught in Virginia DUI arrests or any other arrests, your philosophy favoring or disfavoring the current criminal law means little in how to defend yourself, which is to obtain a good lawyer (at the very least) who will fight like hell — and effectively — for justice for you. You might similarly think that your lawyer’s philosophy about the criminal law does not matter as long as s/he will do a good job for you. However, when your Virginia DUI lawyer truly believes in the work s/he does and gets a thrill from doing it, that is the extra oomph that you can benefit from to obtain a favorable result for yourself in court.

Virginia DUI lawyer Jon Katz focuses on dismantling the prosecution against you, and reconstructing this state of affairs to your best advantage, while pursuing the best possible persuasion for your defense. When you meet with Jon Katz for your free initial in-person confidential consultation, you will get the benefit of a meaningful discussion tailor-made to meet your needs both for laying out your defenses and for providing you the information to give you more confidence about your defensive possibilities and about what lies ahead. Call 703-383-1100 to schedule your meeting with Virginia DUI lawyer Jon Katz.