DUI Myth Book - Is this book for me? What I get out of it?

• If you have been charged with a Virginia DUI/DWI, this book could make a real difference in your life. It also contains information that is of value to anyone who drives. Even if you have never had so much as a drop of alcohol to drink in your entire life, a police officer might still suspect you of driving under the influence and decide to pull you over. While this book contains information that is potentially valuable to nearly everyone, if you have been arrested for driving under the influence-no matter at what stage of the legal process you are-you cannot afford to put this book down.

• This book will provide you with a general overview of DUI law nationwide. While a great deal of what you need to know is the same in every State, no two States are exactly the same when it comes to DUI law.
• This book contains valuable information that pertains to every major step of the DUI legal process. It will tell you what will happen and what you will need to know if you are pulled over by a police officer, if you are arrested, if your case goes to trial, and if the Department of Motor Vehicles considers revoking your drivers license.
• If you are like most people and do not know very much about DUI law, you will learn a great deal from reading this book. However, it will be far short of everything there is to know, which is why this book cannot take the place of a lawyer. Finding a competent, experienced attorney is the single most important thing that you can do after being charged with a DUI. It cannot be stressed enough: no matter what your situation, if you have been charged with a DUI, you both need and deserve a lawyer who will fight for your rights.
• If you have been arrested for a DUI, you probably have a lot of questions about what you are going through and how the legal process will unfold. That is why, for the most part, this book is organized in terms of the kinds of questions that you will probably have along the way. Sometimes knowledge provides empowerment, other times it gives us peace of mind. If you have been arrested for a DUI, you could probably benefit from both. If by the end of reading this book you feel more empowered to play an active role in fighting for your rights, and feel less anxious about a process you did not understand before, then this book will have served its purpose.
• Guilty or innocent, you deserve an experienced attorney to represent you, as well as the full rights and protections to which you are entitled. But if you know or firmly believe yourself to be innocent, chances are you are innocent. Unfortunately, you and the countless others who have been falsely arrested for DUI must contend with what we call The DUI Guilt Myth. According to the Guilt Myth, the very thing that has happened to you—a false arrest—simply does not happen.
• The reality is that there are countless ways in which false arrests and convictions can and do happen. Because these scenarios are so rarely acknowledged or understood, this book also includes several Guilt Myth chapters, which discuss in detail the potential for "false positives." In all likelihood, you may read about the exact scenario that landed you in the back of a police car under false pretenses. But as much useful information as these chapters contain, there are simply too many ways in which a person could be falsely accused or convicted of a DUI to explain them all. I tell my clients that there are literally hundreds of potential issues in a DUI case. Reading this book cannot take the place of an experienced attorney with an in-depth knowledge of the ways in which false arrests and convictions occur, and more importantly how to fight them.

Here are just a few comments from Mike's clients...

My DUI arrest was the most frightening experience in my life. You explained every aspect of what I was going to endure in defending my case. You explained the machine's science in a very patient and professional way that made me much more comfortable. Thank you for your dedication and professionalism.

George M.

I would like to express my gratitude to you for representing me at the York County courthouse. In May 2006, I was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. On 27 July 2006, you made a plea agreement with the prosecutor for a charge of reckless driving, 24 hours in jail, and 6 months restricted driver's license. If I had been convicted of DUI, my Air Force Squadron commander would have had justification to demote me one pay grade, along with consequences. Because I was convicted of a lesser charge in a civil court, my Air Force leadership decided against further military punishment. In a sense, with your representation, my Air Force career was not put in jeopardy.

For future clients, I would like to stress that making the personal sacrifice of serving time in jail benefited my professional career. Instead of trying my case with the odds against me, we decided to make the plea agreement which, in the end, was a better deal for me. For this, I thank you Mr. Tillotson!

Hal L.

I sincerely appreciate your effort and help in getting this matter resolved. The consideration you showed me was a credit to your profession.

Barabra B.

My name is John A. I am an average citizen residing in the City of Newport News, Virginia. I was subpoenaed by you to appear as a witness. The reason I am writing this letter to you is because I have, from the day of the final trial, been wanting to contact you so as to tell you how thoroughly, effectively and efficiently you defended your case in the courtroom. Even the judge commented at how effective you were and how "interesting" the case was. You were tactful, very thorough, concise, and penetrating in your defense of your client. Your evidence and presentation was impeccable.

I send my highest regard and I congratulate you on your superb performance and professionalism.

John A.

I send my highest regard and I congratulate you on your superb performance and professionalism.

Samantha P.

Thank you for your knowledge, dedication, and personal care with my case.

Elizabeth N.

Please know that we feel you were the best one for the case and we were pleased and impressed with you and your staff. Thank you for everything.

Tom D.

Mike is dedicated to aggressively defending your rights and fighting for your freedom. Mike would like nothing more than to have your testimonial right here in future editions of this book.

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) are only two common names given for the crime of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. From this point forward, we will use the name DUI as a generic label for this crime. While DUI and DWI are the most common, many States have different names for driving under the influence, including DUII (Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants), OMVI (Operating a Motor Vehicle while Intoxicated), OUI (Operation Under the Influence) and still others. In certain States you can be charged for two separate crimes, a DUI and a DWI, where only one hinges on blood alcohol level. There is no difference between a DUI and a DWI in Virginia.