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Dale City DUI Post Arrest Process

When someone is arrested in a DUI case, it is natural for him or her to experience feelings of fright and confusion. Many individuals who find themselves being taken into police custody are not aware of their rights. Two of the most important rights that someone has during an arrest is their right to remain silent and their right to an attorney.

An individual should seek the legal counsel of a knowledgeable DUI attorney immediately after being granted permission to do so. An experienced lawyer with a strong understanding of Dale City laws will be able to walk their clients through the legal process and help them build the best defense possible for their case. In certain scenarios, a DUI attorney can also prevent their client from going to jail or can lessen the total amount of time that they must serve.

The Booking Process

After an arrest in Dale City, police offers will take an individual to the Prince William County’s Adult Detention Center if they’re an adult. If the individual that has been arrested is a juvenile, they will be taken to the Juvenile Detention Center.

An adult detention center is also referred to as central booking; it is a separate part of the detention center where a person will go when they are being booked into jail. It is the area of the center that holds the information desk and it is where a person will get their fingerprints, submit their personal information, and take his or her mug shot.

Dale City Jail Sentences

It is important that individuals in Dale City know that they can serve time in jail for a DUI charge. They will initially be apprehended by law enforcement, and upon a police officer’s discovery that there’s probable cause to arrest the individual they can serve jail time after a DUI conviction.

An individual can serve up to a year in jail for a misdemeanor DUI and more than that if its a felony charge; a typical felony DUI carries a maximum of  5 years in prison. Ultimately, the years that someone will be required to serve for this charge will depend on the facts of the case and whether or not anyone was injured.

Negative Consequences That Accompany Going To Jail

There are a number of consequences that follow an arrest, and they include:

  • Fines: A misdemeanor DUI first offense is going to be a fine of $250 to $2,500.00.  A second offense carries a mandatory $500 fine. A felony third offense carries a mandatory $1,000 fine.
  • Mug Shots: They are not available at the Clerk’s Office but some private websites do publish this information online which can be very disturbing for some people.
  • Public Arrest Records: Having a public arrest record means that anybody can look up the information on an individual and find out if they’ve been to jail and what a person has been charged with.

Expunging An Arrest Record

Individuals who have been arrested and convicted of a DUI charge may find it difficult attaining certain jobs, getting approved for certain loans, or even getting into certain apartments or neighborhoods. With this in mind, many people aim to have their charges expunged.

In Virginia, expungement means that an individual’s records are deleted; an expungement and having records sealed are the same thing. Unless a person is acquitted of their charges or their charges were dismissed by a judge or a prosecutor, their records cannot be sealed. someone cannot have their record expunged, their information will remain available to the public. Dale City criminal records are kept by the Clerk of Court in Prince William County Courts.  A person can easily find out that somebody was arrested and served time in jail through those records.

A person can also search the Virginia Court’s website to find out who is being charged with a crime and if their case is pending. Dale City criminal records are kept by the Clerk of Court in Prince William County Courts.  A person can easily find out that somebody was arrested through those records. A person can also search the Virginia Court’s website to find out who is being charged with a crime and if their case is pending.

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