Defense Against Breath Tests in Virginia
Call Our DUI Lawyer Serving Manassas & Prince William County
If you are arrested on suspicion of DUI in Virginia, you will most likely
be given a breathalyzer test. This test is used to determine your blood
alcohol concentration (BAC) and, should you fail the test, the results
will be used as evidence against you in your case.
If you have failed a breath test and are in need of quality legal guidance,
work with the Virginia DUI attorney at the Law Offices of Michael A. Pignone.
He has been in practice for more than a decade and has defended thousands
of clients who have been charged with a wide range of cases, including DUI.
Contact the firm today to schedule your
free consultation!
Virginia's Implied Consent Law
Virginia employs the "implied consent" rule which is part of
your agreement when accepting your driver's license. This agreement
states that if you are stopped on suspicion of DUI, you must submit to
a request by law enforcement for a chemical test.
You may be asked to take a preliminary breath test with a hand-held device
at the scene when pulled over. Such a test may indicate you are in violation
of DUI law, which will lead to further tests. You may refuse to take this
preliminary test but you still may be arrested if the police officer suspects
you of driving under the influence.
If you refuse to take a further chemical test such as breathalyzer or blood
test at the police station, you will face the serious consequences of
being in violation of Virginia's implied consent law. This is a civil
violation which may result in losing your license for up to a year. It
is a separate offense beyond any criminal charges or penalties connected
with a DUI conviction.
The legal limit for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) as measured on a
breath test is .08 percent. If you are under 21, you are subject to the
Zero Tolerance law which means that you cannot have any amount of alcohol
at all in your system when operating a motor vehicle.
Challenging a Test in Prince WIlliam, Fairfax, & Fauquier Counties
Breathalyzer tests are not infallible. Just because you failed one does
not mean that you will automatically be convicted. Many things can go
wrong with breathalyzer test evidence. The testing equipment itself as
well as the procedures used in the testing can be investigated and reviewed
by an experienced Virginia DUI lawyer such as Attorney Pignone who knows
what to look for.
The equipment may be faulty, may not have been maintained properly, or
may not have been recently or correctly calibrated. The testing operator
must be trained in its use and must administer the test according to standard
operating procedure; any violations in this may make the test results
invalid. When the test was given and how it was done are critical factors.
Even medical and health issues may affect test results, calling them into question.
Because of the various factors involved in breathalyzer testing, you should
consult with Virginia DUI Attorney Pignone to get the aggressive and highly-qualified legal help you need when faced
with any DUI charge.