Life after a DUI Arrest in Hampton Roads
A DUI arrest can be an overwhelming experience. It can also have serious and significantly impactful consequences on your personal and your professional life. If you want to know more about life after a DUI arrest in Hampton Roads, speak with a knowledgeable DUI lawyer. A determined attorney could work tirelessly in pursuit of a positive outcome for you.
Consequences of Arrest and Conviction
When a student is arrested, there is an administrative suspension that goes into effect for seven days where the student is not allowed to drive. Beyond that, the student is likely going to spend the night in jail. Often on DUIs, a student is given a bond. Part of the bond is recognition that they are sober and so they will hold them overnight in a holding cell until the alcohol is out of their system. A student is likely going to spend money to get out of jail and also if their vehicle was impounded, they are going to spend money to get their vehicle back.
If a student is convicted of a DUI, they have to disclose that they have been convicted of a misdemeanor if they are ever asked about their criminal history. This conviction can lead to a higher insurance rate in many states. If a person is convicted of another DUI in Virginia within 10 years, that original DUI can be used to trigger mandatory jail time. If a person is convicted of another alcohol offense, the fact that they have a DUI is going to be used as an aggravating factor by the prosecution when asking for jail time.
Disclosing a DUI Arrest to Employers
One way in which life after a DUI arrest in Hampton Roads can be more difficult is that a DUI could impact a person’s access to employment opportunities. In some instances, a person may be required to disclose an arrest to their employer for fear the employer may hear about it from another employee. Depending on the employer’s relationship with law enforcement, the police may notify them. If a person’s job involves driving and there are restrictions placed upon their ability to drive, their employer may find out that way.
If a person is required by law or by contract, they should notify their employer. A person is basically obligated to tell them whatever it is that they are required. A person does not have to tell what their blood alcohol level was or what the facts were. With the military, they may require more disclosure and if the military requires more, they should tell them what they are required to tell, but people generally should not say more about their situation then they absolutely have to.
Driving Following a DUI Arrest
Driving a vehicle is a privilege; it is not a right. States do not have to issue a driver’s license to anyone. If a person has a prior conviction for DUI, that can impact that State’s decision whether or not their new state chooses to issue them a driver’s license. Virginia has restrictions on a person’s DUI and more likely than not, whatever state they are moving to is going to honor those restrictions.
Notifying Insurance Companies About DUI Arrests
People really should notify their insurance company of their conviction and the reason is that if their insurance company finds out from another source, life after a DUI arrest in Hampton Roads could get significantly more difficult. Often they get police reports and if a person’s name comes up as being charged with DUI or being convicted, they are going to flag that and then inquire of that person about the circumstances.
A person needs to tell their insurance company as much as is required. Usually, with insurance companies, they are not necessarily going to want to keep informed of the situation of what they were convicted of or if they have been convicted and what the penalties were. If they do not require a person to give great detail about the case, they should not. This is not something a person wants to try to explain to the insurance company because they are not going to be able to get the case dismissed for them and it is more likely anything they say is just going to make them look worse.
How a DUI Can Impact Travel for Out of State Drivers
Life after a DUI arrest in Hampton Roads can be complicated if the person is not a resident of Virginia and plans on returning to their respective state or country. If a person is going to another state, in some situations there are bond restrictions not allowing travel outside of the state. If a person does not live in Virginia, most of the time a judge is not going to require them to stay in Virginia for the minimum of 30 days; the time it will take for a case to be heard.
It is possible that the judge does have that option. There is only so much they can do in terms of restricting their free movement between states. With regards to other countries, if the judge believes they are a flight risk, they can require them to surrender their passport. If a person is charged with a DUI and it goes on their record, they may not be allowed to travel while this case is pending; customs Enforcement will not want them to leave the country until the case is resolved.
Information to Share with a DUI Attorney
What a person has to tell their lawyer:
- The fact that they are in school
- Whether they are employed
- Whether they are in the military
- Whether they are on probation
- That they have to report to somebody else
That can be a reason that they would need to notify someone that they have a conviction.
Value of a Hampton Roads DUI Attorney
An attorney can understand how difficult life after a DUI arrest in Hampton Roads can be. As a result, a skilled DUI lawyer could try to keep the penalties as low as possible, and possibly get the case dismissed. The defense attorney, through investigation and research, may determine that the prosecution is unable to make their case or that the case should be reduced from reckless driving. A lawyer could try to achieve a positive outcome for those who have been charged.