Michael C. Tillotson

Michael C. Tillotson has dedicated his professional career to helping those in need. He graduated Summa Cum Laude in Criminal Justice in 1986. He was awarded the Alpha Phi Sigma Award for graduating with the highest grade point average in Criminal Justice Studies. He graduated from William & Mary Law School in 1990.

Michael has continued his education in the area of DUI/DWI defense over the last 75 years. He has attended well over 100 seminars and courses focusing on all aspects of a DUI case. He is a trained operator on three separate breath test machines, including the EC/IR II. He received training in breath test machine maintenance and calibration. Michael hosted and spoke at two EC/IR II seminars in Virginia that were attended by attorneys from eight states, as well as some Virginia Judges. To his knowledge, he and his partner are the only attorneys in Virginia that have a working EC/IR in their office. Michael uses the EC/IR in his office to test clients and to do research on various issues involving breath testing. He has completed the NHTSA SFST Student Course which is the same course police officers go through. In addition, he completed the NHTSA DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Instructors Course. He helped teach the Field Sobriety student course in Atlanta and Washington D.C., and has been invited to help teach officers at the local police academy. He has learned about all aspects of blood testing in the context of DWI - drugs and alcohol.

In 2008, Michael was recognized by Thomson/Reuters (formerly West Publishing – the largest and oldest legal publishing company in America) as one of the premier experts on DUI/DWI defense in all of Virginia. Michael was honored to be selected to write the book for DUI/DWI defense as part of the Virginia Practice Series. The book is titled, “Virginia DUI Law: Understanding the Scientific, Medical, Technological, and Legal Aspects of a DUI Case (Vol. 16, Virginia Practice Series)”. He and his law partner, Jeff Martin, have revised the book every year since then. The book is sold to lawyers, judges, and prosecutors annually throughout all of Virginia. It is in law libraries across the state, and many judges have commented on having the book and using it for guidance.

He is a Lifetime Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is a member of the National College for DUI Defense, DUI Defense Lawyers Association, and the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has been an invited speaker to lawyers in Maryland, lawyers from across the country in Washington, D.C., in addition to lawyers here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He was asked by VACLE to speak at the bi-annual DWI seminar, as well as to do bi-annual webcast seminars.

Although Michael has defended just about every type of individual criminal charge in courts across the Commonwealth, he focuses almost exclusively on defending DUI/DWI cases. Michael Tillotson strongly believes that a DUI/DWI attorney must know every aspect of the law, the technology, and the science involved in DUI/DWI. He genuinely cares about his clients. He aggressively defends the Constitution of the United States and all his clients to the absolute best of his ability.

He is lucky to be married to his dream girl! Together they have 5 adult children.