Many people assume that assault and battery are a single crime, but they are actually two separate offenses. A person can be accused of committing assault, battery, or both in a single instance. Whether charged with only one offense or both together, the penalties for conviction of assault and battery crimes can be severe. If you or someone you know has been accused of committing these offenses in either Northern Read More
DWI Field Sobriety Tests
When a police officer believes that a driver may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they may engage in a traffic stop where the driver is asked to participate in a field sobriety test. These tests are meant to determine whether a driver is intoxicated, but they are incredibly subjective and not always accurate. If you or someone you know has been accused of driving while intoxicated (DWI)––sometimes also Read More
Restoration of Firearm Rights in Virginia
Being convicted of a felony can have a lifelong impact on your rights. You may find that you have difficulty finding work, securing a loan, or leasing a new apartment. You might not be able to cast your ballot in the next election, and you might find your rights to bear arms, guaranteed under the second amendment, stripped away from you. For many, however, there is hope of having some of these rights restored with Read More
How to Find the Best Criminal Defense Lawyer for Me
Getting arrested and charged with a crime is a scary and stressful experience. It can be difficult to know what to do or where to turn. You need an experienced criminal defense attorney by your side to defend and protect your rights. But how do you find the best criminal defense lawyer for your case? At Select Law Partners, PLLC, our knowledgeable Virginia criminal defense attorneys have handled thousands of cases Read More
Virginia DUI (DWI) Crimes
Being accused of driving while intoxicated can permanently affect the rest of your life. Virginia takes DWI crimes extremely seriously and, if you or someone you know has been arrested and charged with a driving while intoxicated crime, you should speak with an experienced Virginia criminal defense attorney immediately. At Select Law Partners, PLLC our team is ready to defend and protect your rights in a Virginia DUI Read More
Can You Regain Gun Ownership Privileges After a Virginia Felony Gun Conviction?
If you are convicted of a felony offense at the state or federal level, you automatically lose the right to have a firearm in the United States. However, there are legal paths to restoring your gun ownership privileges in Virginia following a felony conviction. In order to restore your gun rights, you must petition the state court through a series of complex legal steps. A Virginia attorney with experience in Read More
DUI in Virginia When You are “Under the Legal Limit” (BAC .08%)
It is fairly common knowledge in Virginia that the state’s “legal limit” for blood alcohol level (BAC) is .08%, meaning that a person who operates a vehicle with a BAC of .08% can be charged with a DUI. The internet is full of BAC calculators that give you an approximation of what your BAC would be based on drinks consumed in a given time and your weight, and you can even purchase personal breathalyzers which can Read More
Can the Police Arrest Me if I Refuse to Answer Their Questions?
When a police officer is staring you down with a list of questions - whether in a traffic stop, at your front door, or out in public - it can be hard to know what your rights are. You might have some sense that you do have rights, based on cop and lawyer shows you might have seen or news articles, but trying to figure those rights out in the moment and assert them is a challenge. One of the most well-known rights is Read More
Do I Have to Submit to a DUI Breathalyzer Test in Virginia?
Breathalyzers have only been around for a handful of decades, but they are now so ubiquitous that law enforcement agencies everywhere regularly use them and breathalyzer results can almost seem like an integral part of any DUI prosecution (note: they are not). Which has raised several issues, including whether it is constitutional to require a driver to submit to a breathalyzer test and whether refusing to submit to Read More
Is There a Duty to Retreat Under Virginia Criminal Law?
One of the perennially controversial topics in criminal law - and one that we still see discussed vigorously today - is about the so-called “duty to retreat,” which deals with the question of when an otherwise criminal act of violence is justified by self-defense. Different states have different approaches, with some states employing the duty to retreat approach, which means a defendant cannot successfully assert Read More
