Mecklenburg County DUI Court
If a person has been charged with a DUI, they will have a court date set. People can find their court dates by searching online at courts.state.va.us, contacting their defense attorney to see when their court appearance is required, and calling the clerk’s office for the court where they are charged to find out what their next court date is.
If an individual needs to change their court date, they may contact the court directly to see if they can obtain a new court date. However, usually, a new court date is obtained based on good cause shown through the individual’s defense attorney requesting a continuance from the court.
Reach out to an accomplished DUI lawyer if you are facing charges. A dedicated attorney who is knowledgeable about Mecklenburg County DUI court could advocate for you and protect your best interests.
Appearing in Court for a DUI
Certain charges are serious and carry severe enough consequences that the judge will require the defendant’s appearance in court. This is so that the individual has the opportunity to hear the evidence against them in case the judge rules against the defendant. A person must be present at their DUI trial so that the individual can hear all of the evidence from the prosecution and, in a DUI case particularly, must attend trial in order to present a defense.
If an individual does not appear in court for their DUI case, the judge will issue a warrant for their arrest and they will be held in jail until a new Mecklenburg County DUI court date can be scheduled.
What if the Defendant is From Out-of-State?
If the defendant is from out-of-state, they should contact their attorney to request a court date and give them a time that will be feasible for them to attend. Usually, the courts and prosecution are willing to work with the defense attorney in order to have a court date that meets everyone’s schedules.
The consequences will not be any different for someone from out-of-state than they would be for a defendant who is from Virginia. If they miss court, they can expect a warrant to be issued for their arrest.
If a warrant is issued for the person’s arrest after missing court, the home state for the individual will honor the outstanding warrant from Virginia and will arrest the person in their home state. They would then have to wait to be extradited to Virginia to face trial. It is much easier to appear in court the first time than to deal with an outstanding warrant
Preparing a DUI Defense for Court
The best defense preparation for Mecklenburg County DUI court is to remain calm and not let the stress cloud one’s thinking. They should also prepare for court by:
- Reviewing the facts as they unfold leading up to the arrest
- Review the events during the day of the arrest, including through and after the arrest
- Consulting with their defense lawyer about the defense stratgeies that may be available
What to Expect from the Mecklenburg County DUI Court Process
Lawyers will inform the defendant of all documentation that may be required to be produced by the defendant prior to Mecklenburg County DUI court. The attorney will usually request that the defendant provide that documentation directly to the attorney so they can sort through it and be prepared to present it at court if necessary. Lawyers will also inform the accused about essential court dates and advise the individual about whether they should testify on their own behalf and if so, how to properly testify.
People should expect that the case could take anywhere from 30 days to six months before the trial is completed. Call a well-versed lawyer today to learn more about the court process and the benefits of obtaining legal counsel.
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