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Stephen Patrick Pfeiffer

Stephen Patrick Pfeiffer

Your Go-To DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer
  • DUI & DWI
  • Virginia
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Biography

Stephen P. Pfeiffer is known locally as the “Go-To-DUI and Criminal Defense Attorney.” Stephen is a partner at Wolcott Rivers Gates, one of the oldest and largest law firms in Virginia Beach. He has been published as a coauthor in the nationally recognized “Inside the Minds” series by Aspatore Books on ­The Legality of Search and Seizure in DUI Cases “A Practitioner’s Everyday Insight Into DWI/DUI Defense in Virginia”.

Stephen has an AV® Preeminent Rating – the highest rating available from Martindale-Hubbell, the leading independent attorney rating entity. An AV® Rating signifies that the lawyer has reached the heights of professional excellence. Stephen was selected as a member of the National College of DUI Defense Attorneys and has been recognized as one of the top 100 DUI attorneys in Virginia by the National Advocacy for DUI Defense. Additionally, he is consistently recognized as one of Virginia's Legal Elite by Virginia Business Magazine as well as being selected as a "Rising Star" by Virginia Super Lawyers. Recently Stephen was selected as Top 40 Under 40 Criminal Defense Lawyers for Virginia by the American Society of Legal Advocates.

Stephen is a founding member of the American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys. He has also recently received recognition from the NACDA as a "Top 10 Under 40" for DUI Defense. Additionally, Stephen has been named a "Top Lawyer" by Coastal Virginia Magazine. He was the American Bar Association's 2007 National Champion in Legal Negotiations and serves as an adjunct professor at Regent University School of Law.

Practice Area
DUI & DWI
Additional Practice Area
  • Manslaughter
Fees
  • Free Consultation
  • Credit Cards Accepted
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Virginia
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4th Circuit
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U.S. District Court, Eastern & Western Districts of Virginia
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Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
  • Spanish: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
Partner & Marketing Chair
Wolcott Rivers Gates
- Current
Adjunct Professor
Regent University School of Law
-
Law Clerk
Maricopa County District Attorney's Office
Education
Regent University School of Law
J.D. (2007) | Law
cum laude; Dispute Resolutions Academic Board; Entertainment and Sports Law Society Board; Vice-President of University Student Body; 2007 ABA National Legal Negotiations Champion
Regent University School of Law Logo
Carroll College
B.A. (2004) | History & Political Science
summa cum laude; Student Senator; Varsity Football, Varsity Football Defensive Captain, All Conference Linebacker; History Honors Society; Political Science Honors Society
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Awards
AV Preeminent Peer Rating
Martindale-Hubbell
Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
10.0 Superb Rating
Avvo
Client Champion - PLATINUM
Martindale-Hubbell
Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Hampton
Expertise.com
Rising Star
Super Lawyers
2012-2022
Legal Elite
Virginia Business Magazine
2011-2016, 2019
Top 40 Under 40 Criminal Defense Lawyers
American Society of Legal Advocates
2014, 2015
Top 100 DUI Attorneys
National Advocacy for DUI Defense
Top 40 Under 40
American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys
Top Lawyer
Coastal Virginia Magazine
Top 40 Under 40
Inside Business
Top 10 Under 40
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Professional Associations
Norfolk Bar Association
Member
Current
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Portsmouth Bar Association
Member
Current
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American Bar Association
Member
Current
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Virginia Law Foundation
Fellow
Current
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American Association of Premmier DUI Attorneys
Founding Member
- Current
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Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Member
- Current
Activities: Board Member 2013-2015
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National College for DUI Defense
Member
- Current
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Central Business District Association (CBDA/CBDX)
Co-Founder
- Current
Activities: Board Member 2010-present; past President & Philanthropy Chair
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James Kent American Inn of Court
Member
- Current
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Virginia Beach Bar Association
Member
- Current
Activities: Former Young Lawyers Chair; Current Circuit Court Liaison Chair
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Virginia State Bar
Member
- Current
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Publications
Articles & Publications
How to Find the Right Attorney for a DWI / DUI Charge
Avvo Legal Guide
Do I Have the Right to Consult with an Attorney Before Giving a Breath Sample?
Avvo Legal Guide
Virginia Beach DUI or DWI
Avvo Legal Guide
Virginia DUI Breath Tests and the 20 Minute Observation
Avvo Legal Guide
3 Little Known Facts About Field Sobriety Tests
Avvo Legal Guide
One Simple Way to Help Your Defense of a DUI/DWI Charge in Virginia
Avvo Legal Guide
The Legality of Search and Seizure in DUI Cases “A Practitioner’s Everyday Insight Into DWI/DUI Defense in Virginia”
Inside the Minds Series, Aspatore Books
The questions I would ask if I needed to hire a lawyer for a DUI in Virginia Beach
Avvo Legal Guide
3 Steps for Dealing with Overweight Citations In Virginia.
Avvo Legal Guide
Lights, Cameras, Action: How to Deal with Disruptive Videoing
Avvo Legal Guide
Construction Fraud: Not Just a Civil Matter
Docket Call (VSB YLC Newsletter)
Speaking Engagements
DUI Defense, DUI Bootcamp, Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association
Landlord's Rights and Options When the Deal Goes Bad, Landlord Tenant Law, Surviving in a Difficult Economy
Legal Foundations, SEVCAI's Board Member Boot CAMP
Ethical Consideration in Landlord/Tenant Law, Landlord Tenant Law
Navigating the Service Members Relief Act, Debt Collections
Certifications
Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) Certificate
Recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
DWI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Certificate
Recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Websites & Blogs
Website
Your Go-To DUI Lawyer
Website
Stephen P. Pfeiffer's Website Profile
Blog
Stephen P. Pfeiffer Blog
Legal Answers
42 Questions Answered
Q. If I already signed a plea agreement restricting my license for 12 months can I change it to 6 months
A: You would need to file a motion to reopen if still in the appropriate timeframe to do so and ask the court to change the order. The problem is the DMV and ASAP will most likely restart the clock. You should contact your original attorney.
Q. I want to ask a judge to change a court order made in a plea agreement years ago; can I use the Motion to Amend/Review?
A: You will most likely have no success in doing that because it was plea between you and the Commonwealth which is basically a contract. Additionally, you are well beyond the time to appeal or reopen your case.
Q. Is the smell of alcohol and having "glassy eyes" sufficient probable cause to make arrest on a Drunk In Public charge?
A: There is certainly a fertile argument, that he was not impaired without a visible effect to his muscular, skeletal movement.
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Contact & Map
Stephen Pfeiffer Virginia Beach DUI and Criminal Defense Attorney
200 Bendix Road, Suite 300
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
US
Telephone: (757) 554-0258
Cell: (757) 554-0258
Fax: (757) 497-7267