When should I hire my Fairfax DUI lawyer?
When should I hire my Fairfax DUI lawyer?
When should I hire my Fairfax DUI lawyer?
When should you hire your Virginia DWI lawyer or any criminal defense attorney? As a Fairfax DUI lawyer (FD lawyer), I know that the better question is how soon should you start looking for a lawyer. Once you get arrested for a Virginia DUI charge, your top priority is now finding the best possible attorney for you. This is now the time for you to research the lawyers you might wish to meet with, visit with some lawyers, make your choice of a lawyer, and not skip a beat in working as a close team with your lawyer.
What is the prosecutor and police officer doing before I hire my Fairfax DUI lawyer?
The Virginia commonwealth’s attorney’s / prosecutor’s office is not waiting for you to obtain a Fairfax DUI lawyer for defending against your prosecution for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs in violation of Virginia Code § 18.2-266. Nor are the law enforcement officers (LEO) in your case. On top of that, the court is already moving forward with your case. Before you have even been released from the jail after your Fairfax DWI arrest, you will have received a Recognizance form which on the top right tells you your first court date, which ordinarily is your arraignment date.
Must I appear for my FD arraignment date?
Each Virginia county General District Court is different about whether a lawyer’s notice that s/he is your lawyer waives your appearance for your arraignment date. For Fairfax DUI prosecutions and all other Fairfax General District Court prosecutions, your attorney’s filing a praecipe / notice of appearance excuses your presence at your arraignment date so long as your lawyer meets the necessary deadline and procedure for obtaining such excuse. The Fairfax County General District Court has an online portal that allows your attorney to enter his or her appearance with the court by 3:30 p.m. the business day before your arraignment. My law firm’s being across the street from the Fairfax courthouse, my staff plays it safe by hand filing my entry of appearance as your Virginia DWI attorney in the event that my name does not appear on the court’s docket by our first following this court’s allowed procedure of delivering court filings by email and filing appearances through the court’s online portal. If my name does not appear on the court’s docket by the morning of the arraignment, my assistant can appear for the arraignment to present my entry of appearance form at that hearing, thus still making your and my appearance thereat unnecessary. If you do not have a lawyer hired by your arraignment date and time, make sure to appear timely, and I suggest arriving at the courthouse entrance at least a 45 minutes before your court time, as the morning Fairfax court lines can sometimes be long.
Must I attend my attorney review date?
Too many Fairfax DUI and other criminal defendants appear for their arraignment and then miss their attorney review date, which commonly is two weeks after your arraignment date in Fairfax County General District Court for a Virginia DWI prosecution. Your obligation to attend your attorney review date is the same in Fairfax as your obligation to attend your arraignment. Consequently, if you hire an attorney before your attorney review date, check with that lawyer whether s/he has avoided your need to be present at such a court hearing. Each Virginia court has its own procedures and requirements for arraignments and attorney review dates. Ask a qualified Virginia DUI or criminal lawyer for such information.
Must I hire a Fairfax DUI lawyer before my arraignment or attorney review date? Which lawyer should I retain?
You have no obligation to hire a Virginia DWI lawyer before your arraignment or attorney review date. Instead, your guideposts for securing an attorney are in the first two paragraphs of this article. Fairfax DUI lawyer Jonathan Katz has successfully defended hundreds of DWI defendants, and defends in the Northern Virginia courts and beyond. With your initial free in-person confidential consultation with Jon Katz about your court-pending case (call 703-383-1100), you will fee more confident and informed about your defenses than ever. Jon will fight relentlessly for your best defense, and can usually meet with you no later than the same day or next business day after you call. Jon Katz is among a small percentage of Virginia DUI defenders who belong to the National College of DUI Defense (NCDD) or its equivalent.
