Do you need a Fairfax DUI attorney for an arraignment in Fairfax County Court?
No. It is not required. But it might be very helpful.
If you to hire a lawyer to appear on your behalf at the DUI arraignment in Fairfax County General District Court:
You can avoid having to come to the DUI arraignment in Fairfax County if you have hired a lawyer before the date of the arraignment.
You get you questions about your DUI arrest in Fairfax answered quickly and you and your DUI lawyer can begin working on your defense to the Fairfax DUI charges.
When a person is arrested for a DUI in Fairfax County, the first court date is the arraignment. The court requires a person to come to this court date. The DUI arraignment is usually set approximately 10 to 20 days after the arrest for a DUI in Fairfax County.
The Fairfax County judge at the DUI arraignment will do two things:
- Tell the person charged with DUI their next court date, which is typically 1 to 3 months after the arraignment; and
- Ask the person charged with drunk driving if they can afford an to hire their own Fairfax DUI attorney.
If the person tells the judge they can afford to hire a lawyer, the court will set another court date approximately 10-20 days later. At the second court date, called an Information on Attorney Date (IAD), the accused driver wither must appear in court again or submit paperwork from a Fairfax County DUI lawyer that was hired by the accused driver.
If the person tells the judge that they cannot afford to hire a lawyer, the person must be interviewed by court services. Fairfax County court services then asks the accused driver questions about their income and financial expenses. If the person's finances are at or below a certain level, the judge will appoint a Fairfax County Public Defender or a court-appointed lawyer to handle the driver's DUI case.
By hiring a lawyer prior to the Fairfax DUI arraignment, the accused driver can avoid appearing at an arraignment and the Information on Attorney Date.
Another advantage to selecting and hiring an experienced Fairfax DUI attorney is that you can have your questions about the process answered and begin to take steps towards a resolution of your case.
At The Gordon Law Firm we often advise our clients to take steps to help their Fairfax DUI case after the initial consultation. These steps could include:
- Gathering medical records
- Obtaining Driving Records
- Taking photographs
- Getting addresses of witnesses
- Contacting counselors
- Collecting Letters of Recommendation
- Performing community service
- Taking a Driver Improvement Course
Every person's DUI charge in Fairfax County is different. Fairfax DUI defense lawyers Alex Gordon and Carlos Wall give different advice based upon a person's circumstances and the facts surrounding their arrest for DUI. It is important in many cases to get this advice as soon as possible and begin preparing your defense of the DUI charge before a great deal of time passes.
If you would like to speak with Alex Gordon or Carlos Wall for a Free Consultation, please contact us at 703.218.8416 or fill out the information on the "Contact Us" area of this website.