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Virginia DUIs for Out of State Drivers

Virginia DUIs for out of state drivers are treated differently than other DUI offenses because upon conviction, the state cannot suspend that person’s license. The only thing that Virginia can do is tell a person that they are not allowed to drive in Virginia. If someone lives and works in Maryland and they receive a DUI in Virginia, the only penalty they may face is not being allowed to drive in the state anymore. The individual’s license would remain valid in all 49 states and in DC. Contact a skilled DUI attorney if you fear your case may impact your license or include any future driving penalties. It may be critical to speak with a local lawyer about how your case may be handled in Virginia and at home.

Differences in Regional Rules

Maryland has a pre-adjudicatory diversion program for a first offense DUI that Virginia does not offer. There are certain states where a person does not necessarily have to have a 0.08 BAC. There are states with implied consent for DUIs so if someone is driving and there is probable cause to arrest the person for a DUI, they have to submit to a breathalyzer. Other states do not have that. Virginia DUIs for out of state drivers can be impacted by any state law such as the different vehicle operation laws. All these things are going to be different on a state-by-state basis.

There are little difference in the treatment of DUI’s in other jurisdictions. In terms of punishments, nearby jurisdictions like Maryland and DC can offer first offenders the opportunity to be on probation for a period of time and have the charges dismissed or reduced. Virginia has no such considerations.

Defining the National Driver Registry

The National Driver Registry exists in the national database for Department of Motor Vehicles or whatever the similar department is called in another state. It enables those agencies to exchange information so that, for example, if a Virginia driver is convicted of a traffic offense in another state, it can be reflected on that person’s Virginia driving record.The same is true the other way around. If someone experiences Virginia DUIs for out of state drivers, the state will report that offense to the national database and the individual’s home state may pick up on it. If they do, a person should expect that they will report that on their official driving record.

Help from a Lawyer

Finding an attorney that is intimately familiar with the jurisdiction in which a person is charged is of great importance. Every jurisdiction has their own way of handling Virginia DUIs for out of state drivers. They have their own judges, prosecutors and local rules about how motions are filed and how trials are conducted. Finding an experienced lawyer who is familiar with all of those things, and with all of those people, is certainly going to be a benefit to them because that lawyer will know exactly how to get things done in that courthouse the right way.