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Norfolk DUI Drug Lawyer

In Norfolk, drug DUI charges are not that common, but they do still occur. Below, a Norfolk DUI lawyer discusses the process of facing a drug DUI charge and what could potentially lead to such a charge. If you would like to learn more about your particular case, call today and schedule a consultation with our defense team today.

Facing Drug DUI Charges in Norfolk, Virginia

In Norfolk, it is not very common to face drug DUI charges. Having drivers submit to blood tests rather than breath tests is generally uncommon and sometimes officers don’t even realize that drugs are involved in the situation.

On the occasion when drug DUIs do come up, convictions are generally more difficult for the the Commonwealth to achieve because blood test cases are more complicated than breath test cases. It is that complexity that allows criminal defense attorneys to attack the evidence against their clients.

What Leads to a DUI Charge in Norfolk

In Norfolk, someone could be charged with driving under the influence of drugs under pretty much the same circumstances that would cause them to be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. If an individual’s driving is impaired or the driver is obviously impaired during a stop by drugs, alcohol, or a combination of both, then the driver will be charged. Someone can be charged with driving under the influence due to any type of drugs even if the drug was legally prescribed to them.

Types of Drugs That Lead to Drug DUI Charges

It could be any type of drug, illegal or legal. If the drug is prescribed to you, yet it’s severely impairing your ability to drive, or if you are taking it in a manner other than how it was prescribed to you, then you can still be charged with driving under the influence of drugs.

Generally, any type of substance that can cause impairment can trigger a DUI arrest in a criminal charge. This includes anything from legally obtained prescription drugs to marijuana to even harder things like cocaine and heroin.

Criminal Trials for Alcohol DUI v. Drug DUI

The arrest and trial for a DUI for drugs or alcohol does not differ very much at all. The field sobriety test is administered and the officer is going to be looking for any signs of impairment. The only real difference is in what test is used to determine the individual’s level of impairment. For alcohol, it will be the breathalyzer test, and for drugs, it will be a blood test.

If what is administered is a blood test, then typically there will be someone present at trial that’s from the Department of Forensic Science to explain the results of the blood test and what the results ultimately mean.

Priority of Drug DUI Cases for Norfolk Law Enforcement

In Norfolk, all types of DUIs are a priority for law enforcement officers. Norfolk is home to Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University and a lot of military personnel. This means that in this area, there are a lot of young adults so it is a priority to law enforcement officers to do their best to keep these people safe as well as everybody else.

Everyone knows that driving under the influence can affect more than just the person who gets behind the wheel when they shouldn’t. Officers are just looking for anyone who is driving impaired. The only difference is whether the driver in the end will need to submit to a blood test for drugs or a breathalyzer test for alcohol.

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