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Alexandria DUI

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) are serious charges in Alexandria, Virginia and this may be your first encounter with the criminal justice system as a defendant. The criminal defense attorneys at S.L. England, PLLC, are prepared to guide you through the legal process, providing you with aggressive representation from your first phone call to them through your trial and beyond.

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After a DUI Arrest in Alexandria

After your DUI arrest, law enforcement transports you to Central Booking where you will be given a breath or blood test to determine your blood alcohol content (BAC),. You will also be fingerprinted and photographed.

Central Booking is part of the Alexandria Detention Center, and it is located at:

2001 Mill Road

Alexandria, VA 22314

Virginia has an implied consent law. If you refuse breath or blood testing at the detention center, you may face an additional charge which carries up to $500 in fines and the suspension of your driver's license for one year. 

After your blood test, you will see a magistrate judge, either in person or via video. This is when the arresting officer presents the facts against you, including the results of your breath and blood test. Based on the evidence, the magistrate judge may issue a warrant for your arrest. You are not officially charged with DUI until the warrant is issued or you are indicted by a grand jury.

If the magistrate judge issues the warrant, it will be served on you, and then you will have a hearing to determine if you can be released on bail and what your bail amount will be. You may be released on your own recognizance and not have to post any bail money. Your attorney may accompany you to your bail hearing so they can fight to have your bail set at a reasonable amount, or, in cases where the judge may not allow you to bail out of jail, your attorney can argue why you should be allowed to do so.

If you are released on bail or your own recognizance, you can return home. Otherwise, you remain in the Alexandria Detention Center until your trial.

The Courthouse and Your Trial

If you are charged with a misdemeanor DUI, your pre-trial hearings and your trial will be held at the Alexandria General District Court.

The General District Court does not conduct jury trials, so your DUI case will be heard by a judge.

If you are charged with a felony DUI, your preliminary hearings will be held at the General District Court, and your trial will be held in the Circuit Court. Both the General District Court and the Circuit Court are located at:

520 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22320

The General District Court is located on the second floor of the courthouse.

Appearing for DUI Court in Alexandria

Be on time for all your court hearings. Your attorney will notify you of your court dates and hearing times. 

All electronic devices, including, but not limited to, cell phones, video games, cameras, laptops, and radios, are prohibited in the courthouse. You also may not bring anything that is or can be used as a weapon, such as guns, knives, and scissors.

Dress appropriately for court. You may not wear any of the following:

  • Clothing with vulgar, discriminatory, or obscene images or language.
  • Clothing that promotes illegal violent conduct, such as gang symbols drug use, or weapons.
  • Revealing clothing that exposes cleavage, private parts, midriff, back, or undergarments. This includes halter tops, spaghetti straps, and sagging pants. 
  • Pajamas
  • Sweatpants
  • Flip Flops
  • Bedroom Slippers
  • Skirts or dresses shorter than three inches above the knee.
  • Head coverings, except those for religious or medical purposes.

If you violate the dress code, you will not be allowed in the courtroom until you change clothing.

Behave appropriately in court. Failure to do so can lead to a Contempt of Court charge, and you may face expulsion from the courtroom, jail time, and/or fines.

Food and drink are allowed in designated areas. Smoking is prohibited in the courthouse.

Aggressive DUI Representation in Alexandria

A DUI in Alexandria is a serious charge. You need an experienced attorney from S.L. England, PLLC, to guide you through the legal process and aggressively defend you in court. We can represent you in any Virginia court. Our attorneys have the courtroom experience to present the strongest case to the judge or jury for you. Call us at (202) 489-0720 or contact us online today to discuss your case.

Aggressive Representation

When you hire S.L. England, we will assign your case to a seasoned trial attorney that cares about getting results. We represent our individual clients as aggressively as represent our corporate business clients. Check our reviews on Google and Yelp to see what our clients have to say. We look forward to representing you.

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