Fairfax County Reckless Driving

Reckless driving is considered to be a serious traffic misdemeanor in every general district court across the Commonwealth of Virginia, but each general district court has its own way of handling these matters. In one court, you might be able to work out a deal without an attorney, but in others you might not. Given the hefty fines, potential jail time, and possible driver’s license suspension that comes with a reckless driving conviction, you should be aware of what is allowed (and what isn’t) in Fairfax County General District Court.

If you’re looking for general information about the court, such as address, phone number, email address, or forms, click here or scroll down.

You will not be provided a court-appointed attorney or public attorney unless you’re facing jail time. This also is true for other types of traffic offenses and traffic misdemeanors. If one of Fairfax County’s judges offers you a court-appointed attorney, then you should seriously consider your options for legal assistance. A private criminal defense attorney who is more experienced at negotiating reckless driving charges and reviewing evidence might be the better option – especially if he or she can build a defense that could lead to a dismissal of your charges.

You’ll need an attorney in order to work out a deal. In some courts, people can talk to a prosecutor without an attorney to try and get something worked out without going to trial. Unfortunately, in Fairfax County, this is not the case. The county doesn’t even assign a prosecutor to a reckless driving case unless you have an attorney, typically because of the high volume of traffic and criminal cases in this area, and because of the Commonwealth’s evidence.

If your driver’s license is suspended, you might be eligible for a restricted driver’s license. As you may have heard, a restricted driver’s license can allow you to travel to and from work, travel during work as required by your employer, travel to and from school (if applicable), transport minor children, and travel to and from church. This is not automatically granted and depending on the circumstances of your case, a judge may not grant a restricted driver’s license. In order to apply for the restricted driver’s license, you will need to fill out this form with as much detail as possible. Sometimes a judge might suspend your driver’s license for 30 days (or some other time period), but if you apply for a restricted driver’s license you could face a much longer period of having your driving privileges restricted. So instead of 30 days of no license and then having your full driving privileges reinstated, you could face six (6) months of restricted driving privileges, which could have a serious impact on your day-to-day life. A Northern Virginia reckless driving attorney is aware of how certain judges view reckless driving cases based on experience, and can help you decide what the best option might be for your specific case.

Fairfax County does not offer a driving school or reckless driving first-time offender program. In some counties around Virginia, there are special programs for first-time reckless driving offenders if they have had clean driving records prior to their reckless driving charge. Judges in Fairfax will not dismiss a case because of your driving record without a compelling reason to dispute the Commonwealth’s evidence or the circumstances of your charge.

If you have questions about how to fight your reckless driving charge in Fairfax, please fill out a request for a FREE legal consultation.

Fairfax County General District court is located just south of I-66.

The Fairfax County General District Court’s Clerk is Ms. Nancy L. Lake. She can be reached at (703) 246-2153. The Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County is Raymond F. Morrogh.

The general line for the court is (703) 691-7320 or you may email the court at gdcmail@fairfaxcounty.gov. You can reach the traffic department directly at (703) 246-3764.

Reckless driving cases are heard during regular traffic docket hearings, Monday through Friday, beginning at 9:30 a.m. These cases might be held in Courtrooms 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, and 2H, so be sure to review your courtroom assignment on the electronic monitor near the clerk’s office.

If your court date is coming up soon and you have not yet hired your defense attorney, you may submit a first-time continuance request. Traffic misdemeanors are granted a continuance only by judge or motion. If you are not yet represented, the motion must be submitted to the clerk and you will appear before a judge who will determine whether or not your continuance will be approved. If you have already hired an attorney, he or she will handle the continuance request for you, which can be done by phone with the judge. However, the court must already have notification that your attorney is the counsel of record.

If you are considering pre-paying your fine, please note that reckless driving cannot be pre-paid due to the nature of the offense. It’s best to wait before making pre-payment for any offense (minor traffic infractions included) if you plan to hire an attorney or fight your ticket, since your fines and fees will likely change.

The best way to deal with reckless driving in Fairfax County is to retain an experienced traffic attorney who has the legal knowledge and negotiation skills to help you avoid a conviction.