Tuesday, December 3, 2024
The Latest DUI News and Information From DUI Defense Attorneys Across the Country

New Felony DWI law in Virginia: from 0 to 365 days on July 1, 2013!

Third and subsequent DWIs became felonies in Virginia in 1999.  Since that time, Virginia has had a 10 year lookback period for using previous DUIs to enhance punishments.  Currently, Virginia Code § 18.2-270 has the following DWIs and minimum mandatory punishments:

3 DWIs committed within a 10 year period   90 days

3 DWIs committed within a 5 year period     6 months

4 (or more) DWIs within a 10 year period      1 year

These portions of the law remain the same.

The new section, which becomes law on July 1, 2013, drops the 10 year lookback period and declares that anyone who has previously received a felony DWI will receive a mandatory minimum sentence of one year:

18.2-270 (C)

2. A person who has been convicted of § 18.2–36.1, 18.2–36.2, 18.2–51.4, 18.2–51.5, or a felony violation of § 18.2–266 shall upon conviction of a subsequent violation of § 18.2–266 be guilty of a Class 6 felony. The punishment of any person convicted of such a subsequent violation of § 18.2–266 shall include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year and a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000.

Someone who could receive no jail time before the new law, will get and serve at least one year after July 1, 2013!

 

 

Our passion at Tillotson & Martin, L.L.C., is defending citizens against such unfair traffic & DUI laws.  We write the book for DWI defense for Virginia attorneys and provide seminars for attorneys on how to beat the breath test machine.  We train extensively to develop and improve cutting edge defenses.  Our attorneys are active National College for DUI Defense members, are certified in NHTSA Field Sobriety Testing, and are trained to interpret breath test and blood test data.

Don’t let a DWI ruin your life.  We strive to be the best trained and most prepared Virginia DUI attorneys so that we can aggressively fight for your rights.  Call us for a free consultation at (757) 969-5197.

Read more:

Tagged with

Picture of Mike Tillotson

Mike Tillotson

Mr. Tillotson graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Studies in 1986. He received the Alpha Signa Award for graduating with the highest grade point average in his field of study. In 1990, he received his juris doctor from Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary. Being involved in professional legal organizations allows attorneys to keep abreast of the latest information in their field. Mr. Tillotson is an active member of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National College for DUI Defense as well as a Lifetime Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has also been recognized by the National College for DUI Defense for his dedication to defending citizens who have been accused of driving while intoxicated. Mr. Tillotson was recognized as one of The American Trial Lawyers Association's Top 100 Trial Lawyers from Virginia.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *