Criminal & Traffic Lawyers

If you are charged with a crime, you need to protect yourself against potentially severe legal consequences. If you are convicted, your charges may result in hefty fines or mandatory jail sentences. All convictions remain on your criminal record forever so it’s important to have strong legal representation through the entire process, from pre-trial to sentencing. If you have been charged with a crime or serious traffic offense, you have constitutional rights. You are presumed innocent, and as criminal defense attorneys it is our job to protect your rights and to ensure that the government is required to prove it’s case in accordance with the law. In both traffic and criminal cases, we look for both factual and legal defenses. Failure to do so jeopardizes the entire criminal justice system.

Unfortunately, the number of accidents in Chesterfield and the Tri-Cities area attributed to drinking and driving is increasing every year. Because of this, DUIs are being prosecuted more harshly. If you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, your entire future is on the line. You could be faced with a points on your license, license suspension, large fines, and lengthy jail times. You need an expert DUI lawyer from one of the longest established law firms in Chesterfield to ensure you have the best defense available. As experienced DUI lawyers we understand the DUI laws in Virginia and we can help you avoid losing your license if you act quickly.

We understand that your DUI charge may have been a brief lapse in judgement, or that you may not have even been impaired in the first place. You have constitutional rights, and are presumed innocent until proven guilty. We take pride in aggressively protecting your rights to ensure that the Commonwealth proves its case in accordance with the law. DUI law is a highly specialized area of the law. Our skilled and experienced criminal defense attorneys have what it takes to aggressively defend drivers from Chesterfield, Chester, Colonial Heights, and surrounding areas.

If a traffic offense is severe, it may be classified as a misdemeanor or felony crime. If you are found guilty of reckless driving in Virginia, that is a Class One Misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and $2,500 in fines. You will receive six points on your license which will dramatically impact your insurance rates, and your license could be suspended for up to six months. If you are charged with a hit and run, the penalties are similar, but if there is damage to property over $1000 or someone is hurt, the offense can easily become a felony. If you have been charged with either of the above, driving on a suspended license, or other serious traffic violations, you need to protect yourself against potentially severe consequences. Besides high fines and potential imprisonment, convictions remain on your criminal record for several years, so it’s important to have strong representation from pre-trial to sentencing.

When appropriate, we are able to negotiate plea agreements with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office that reflect our clients’ best interest. Our criminal defense and traffic attorneys have a strong reputation with not only the local Commonwealth Attorney’s Offices, but the courts as well. This reputation is critical to successful plea negotiations in traffic and criminal cases. Plea agreements will only be entered into if the client believes it’s their best option.

Our skilled and experienced lawyers have what it takes to aggressively defend you in central Virginia. Timing is everything in criminal law cases, so if you have been charged or believe you’re under investigation for a felony or misdemeanor crime in Chesterfield, Chester, Colonial Heights, or surrounding locations in central Virginia, it’s important that you act fast and contact the criminal defense attorneys at Gordon and Dodson today.