Many people equate being arrested with being taken into custody, but in Virginia after a person is arrested, the police make a decision regarding whether to take the person into custody and transport the person to jail or give the person a ticket / summons and let the person go. What people call a ticket in Virginia is actually a Virginia Uniform Summons and it is an official document which provides notice to someone that he or she has been accused of a specific offense and provides information about the date and time the matter will be heard by a Court.
In certain situations, Virginia law allows officers to give someone a ticket / summons, rather than taking the person into custody. When this happens, the person is said to have been "released on a summons." For example, if you have ever been stopped by police and given a ticket for Speeding, Disregarding a Stop Sign or some other traffic infraction, you may not have even realized it, but you were arrested and released on a summons. Most times when someone is released on summons it is due to a misdemeanor charge.
We Represent Those Charged in Virginia
If you have been issued a ticket / summons and are accused of DUI / DWI or some other Criminal or Traffic violation and would like to speak with a Virginia DUI / DWI, Criminal & Traffic Defense Lawyer, call The Wilson Law Firm at 703-361-6100 and we'll be happy to discuss your situation with you in more detail. You can also fill out a contact form here and we will be in touch with you shortly.