Fairfax, Virginia Criminal Defense Lawyers

Whitestone, Brent, Young & Merril, PC

10513 Judicial Drive
Suite 300
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
USA

(703) 763-0385

(703) 591-7238

www.wbymlaw.com

Contact Whitestone, Brent, Young & Merril, PC

Law Firm Overview

Whitestone, Brent, Young & Merril, P.C. provides thorough and effective legal representation and personalized service in the areas of personal injury, family law, criminal defense & civil litigation. Our firm was established in 1972 by Robert C. Whitestone and Ian M. Rodway, and later joined by A. Strode Brent, Jr., Dickson J. Young, and Steven A. Merril.

Many of our present or past attorneys have been prosecutors in Fairfax County and other Northern Virginia jurisdictions, and have developed intimate knowledge of the various Northern Virginia court systems. For four decades, the firm has adhered to the highest standard of ethics and has consistently provided the best value in both the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. Each of our attorneys has remarkably extensive legal connections in the area, and several of them have been listed as Top 100 Lawyers in Virginia.

Our lawyers are highly regarded for our legal ability and ethical standards. The court system, prosecutors and other attorneys in Northern Virginia have given us their highest peer review ratings. We strive for professional excellence in every facet of our legal practice. Our consistently high peer review ratings and the trust that our clients place in us are due to our unparalleled experience and the genuine effort put forth in every case to serve our clients' needs.

Our law firm's deep-rooted legal network supports and helps us to achieve our clients' goals. Not only have many court system officers worked with us, but many of our attorneys and staff have worked in the court system as well. Each member of the firm connects the client to our network and ensures that all resources are fully utilized. All of our attorneys are dedicated to serving the person, not the problem, and we dutifully embark on a mission to achieve justice for every client.

Areas of Law

Additional Areas of Law: Property crimes; Speeding; Failure to Yield; Failure to Obey Traffic Signals; Violating License Restrictions; Vehicle Equipment Violations; Driving on a Suspended License; Misdemeanors; Trespassing; Petite Larceny; Malicious Prosecution; False Imprisonment; Boundary Disputes; Property Rights.

Areas of Law Description

Whitestone, Brent, Young, & Merril, P.C. provides counseling in many areas including the following:

- Criminal Defense

In our country, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty. But people often tend to assume the worst when they hear that a person is charged with committing a crime. If you have been arrested or indicted, your freedom and your reputation are both at risk. At Whitestone, Brent, Young & Merril, P.C., we defend your freedom while minimizing any damage to your reputation. Our attorneys are experienced in defending clients against all of the most serious types of criminal allegations.

*DUI
An experienced DUI attorney in Fairfax can often challenge the stop and subsequent arrests in a DUI case. With almost 40 years’ experience, Whitestone, Brent, Young & Merril, P.C. has a comprehensive understanding of the laws in Virginia and will work hard to defend you in your Virginia DWI case. A substantial amount of investigation and evidence review go into producing an effective DUI or DWI defense. However, the prosecution bears the burden of proving its case and a skilled and experienced attorney has many options for effective defense strategy.

* DWI
Some people think that they do not need an attorney to represent them when they get a traffic ticket or are arrested for a traffic crime. However, even if you have no prior violations, a traffic conviction could be the basis for increasing penalties for future violations or increasing insurance rates. Indeed, reckless driving tickets remain on a driver’s Virginia driving record for 11 years. Additionally, some traffic offenses, like reckless driving and driving on a suspended license, can result in jail time if there are multiple convictions. Penalties for DWI or impaired driving of any kind are particularly severe, especially if there has been an accident causing personal injury or property damage.

- Personal Injury

Accidents and injuries can occur anytime and anywhere—while walking down the sidewalk on the block where you live, driving on a road you have been down a thousand times or for the first time, or using a machine or equipment that you have trusted for years. No matter when or where it happened, we can help you find the cause and responsible parties. Our Fairfax personal injury attorneys are experienced in all facets of personal injury law.

* Catastrophic Injuries
Unfortunately, not all injuries heal completely. Head and spinal cord injuries are examples of injuries that can leave you with paralysis or some other form of permanent disability. You may be unable to continue working, and you can easily incur additional expenses for the rest of your life. Cases like these are typically best handled through courtroom litigation before a jury to ensure you receive the award you deserve.

* Wrongful Death
Sometimes death occurs from natural causes after a long, full life. Too often, a life is cut short through no fault of the deceased person. When that person leaves behind family, his or her survivors need and deserve to be compensated for their loss of love and companionship, as well as for financial losses such as: Funeral and burial expenses; Medical expenses caused by the fatal injury; Loss of support for dependents. The hurt caused by the premature death of a loved one does not end with the funeral. At Whitestone, Brent, Young & Merril, P.C., we look at all the consequences of the death and seek a comprehensive legal remedy.

- Divorce and Family Law

Families going through a divorce can feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. Negotiations concerning property, assets and financial security are particularly difficult between disgruntled family members. For more than 30 years, we have guided clients toward a fair and just solution as quickly as possible to ease this difficult burden. We listen to our clients' family histories in order to assess what remedies and procedures are necessary. Then, we help our clients resolve all of the issues, whether they require negotiation, mediation, or litigation.

* Contested divorce
When the relationship of a couple has degraded to the point where they cannot agree on any issues of their divorce—or when serious issues such as abuse exist—their only option may be to have their issues resolved in divorce court. This is called contested divorce, and it typically involves a process that resembles any type of trial. After the Fairfax divorce lawyers present the cases of their clients, the judge uses a combination of Virginia state law, formulas, and personal judgment to decide all issues pertaining to the custody and support of the children, possible spousal support, and division of property.

* Uncontested divorce
Any form of uncontested divorce allows divorcing couples to retain greater control over their futures and the futures of their children—and it is potentially less costly. Whatever form you choose, the process involves negotiating as many issues as possible prior to the divorce hearing. The more you can reach agreement prior to your court date, the fewer decisions need to be made by the judge.

* Mediated divorce
Couples use an impartial mediator to facilitate negotiations of the various divorce issues. Some couples may meet directly with the mediator without representation by legal counsel—others include their own attorneys in the negotiations. Once negotiations are complete, the couple proceeds to court. If they have come to agreement on all issues, the judge simply reviews the agreement and typically issues the divorce decree with little or no alteration. If some issues cannot be resolved, they are presented before the judge who decides on the issues prior to the final divorce decree. Divorce mediation is often less expensive for couples in Fairfax.

*Collaborative divorce:
This is a relatively new and highly specialized form of divorce that requires couples to have both a strong commitment to the process and the ability to come to full agreement on all issues. Both spouses retain specially-trained collaborative lawyers, and enter into a series of meetings with specialists appropriate for their issues—such as financial specialists, business experts, and family counselors. But if every issue is not resolved in these meetings, the Fairfax collaborative lawyers are required by law to resign from the case, and the couple must start over in a more traditional form of divorce using different lawyers.

* Juvenile Law
Children do not have the same rights as adults. They cannot vote, drink alcoholic beverages, smoke, enter into contracts, or drive a motor vehicle without restrictions. And when children violate the rules, they are treated differently by the courts. But this does not mean that they have no rights. Like adults, children cannot be deprived of their life, liberty, or property without due process of law. One of the most important rights children have is the right to be represented by an attorney when faced with decisions that might change their living and supervision arrangements.

- Wills, Trusts and Estates

The death of a family member always brings sadness and change. Mourners do not need legal headaches on top of their grief. The best way to avoid legal hassles that arise upon a person's death is to do some simple planning and preparation. At Whitestone, Brent, Young & Merril, P.C., we can help you draft a will and do some simple estate planning that can ease the transition and transfer of property following your death.

- Civil Litigation

Most civil cases settle out of court without a trial. But the best way to get a good settlement is to prepare a case as if it were going to go to trial. We help you understand your rights as well as your opponent's position. Then we explore possible options and outcomes to resolve the case. We prepare you for your day in court while we help you to develop a strategy for evaluating and negotiating possible settlement alternatives. When necessary, we are ready to try your case and see it through to completion.

Affiliations

Super Lawyers

Attorneys

	Mr. A. Strode Brent, Jr. Partner Civil Litigation, Eminent Domain, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death		Mr. Steven A. Merril Partner Criminal Defense, Criminal Law, Felonies, Traffic Ticket
	Mr. Robert C. Whitestone Partner Criminal Defense, Homicide, Personal Injury, Traffic Ticket		Mr. Hunter A. Whitestone Partner Appellate Practice, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Traffic Ticket
	Mr. Dickson J. Young Partner Criminal Defense, DUI, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death