Manteo DWI and Criminal Defense Lawyer

Charged in Manteo or on Roanoke Island?

Charges written in Manteo, whether by the Manteo Police Department, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, or the NC State Highway Patrol, are heard in town at the Dare County Justice Center, 962 Marshall Collins Drive. Manteo is the Dare County seat, so state criminal and traffic cases from every part of the county, from Duck to Hatteras, come to court here.

Manteo sits on Roanoke Island, between the causeway to Nags Head and the bridges to the mainland. US 64 carries traffic across the island. Outside the town limits, including Wanchese, the Sheriff’s Office and the Highway Patrol do the patrolling.

Daniel Donahue is a Board Certified Specialist in State and Federal Criminal Law, certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. He is the only board-certified criminal law specialist based in Dare County, and he handles cases at the Dare County Justice Center in Manteo from his office in Nags Head.

Charged in Manteo, or have a court date at the Dare County Justice Center? Call or text Donahue Defense at 252-715-5785 before that date.

Fastest way to start on a ticket: text a photo of it to 252-715-5785. We will reply with what happens next and what we need from you.

Cases We Handle in Manteo

• DWI, including out-of-state DWI and underage DWI
• Boating while impaired charges from the waters around Roanoke Island
• Dare County speeding tickets and other traffic tickets
• Reckless driving and driving while license revoked
• Drug charges
• Underage drinking and fake ID charges
• Assault charges
• Expungements

Where Manteo and Roanoke Island Cases Come From

• US 64 through Manteo and across Roanoke Island
• The bridges on and off the island: the Washington Baum Bridge to Nags Head, and the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge and William B. Umstead Bridge to Manns Harbor
• Downtown Manteo and the waterfront
• Wanchese and the rest of Roanoke Island outside the town limits
• Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, at the north end of the island, which is National Park Service property. A citation from a park ranger there goes to federal court. See federal charges in the Outer Banks.

If Your Court Date Is in Manteo

A Dare County citation lists a court date at the Dare County Justice Center, whether it was written in Manteo, on the beach, or on Hatteras Island. Do not ignore that date. In many traffic cases, your lawyer can appear for you. Some cases, including trials, require you to be there. We will tell you early which dates need you in person.

Charged in another town? See Kill Devil Hills, Duck, or Dare County speeding tickets.

What a Conviction Can Cost You

An impaired driving conviction carries a license revocation. Traffic convictions can add license suspension and DMV points under N.C.G.S. Section 20-16 and insurance premium increases under the NC Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP), administered by the NC Commissioner of Insurance. Paying a ticket counts as a conviction. See DWI sentencing levels and NC insurance points after a conviction.

Visiting Roanoke Island From Out of State?

From June through September, about two in three of our clients live outside North Carolina. A North Carolina conviction can be reported to your home state, and each state applies its own law to it. Virginia DMV, for example, says on its website that it assigns demerit points for traffic convictions from other states. For how your state would treat a conviction, check with its licensing agency or a lawyer licensed there. See out-of-state tickets and out-of-state DWI.

How We Can Help

• Explain the charge, the possible outcomes, and what each would mean for your license, insurance, and record
• Obtain and review the evidence, including video and testing records
• Appear at the Dare County Justice Center for you where the court allows
• Explain to out-of-state drivers what North Carolina reports to their home state
• Try your case when the facts and the law support it
• Communicate in Spanish through our legal assistant, Kaitlyn Fernandez

Manteo Town, Police, and Court Links

• Town of Manteo: town government and local ordinances
• Manteo Police Department: the town’s police department
• Dare County Sheriff’s Office: countywide law enforcement, based in Manteo
• Dare County Justice Center: court location, hours, and phone number from the NC Judicial Branch
• Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: National Park Service information for the site

These links go to independent government websites. Donahue Defense is not affiliated with them.

Manteo FAQs

Where is Dare County court?

At the Dare County Justice Center, 962 Marshall Collins Drive, Manteo, NC 27954.

I was charged in another Dare County town. Is my court date still in Manteo?

Yes. State charges from Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores, Duck, and Hatteras Island are all heard in Manteo.

I was cited at Fort Raleigh. Is that different?

Yes. Fort Raleigh is National Park Service property, and a citation from a park ranger there is a federal case, not a Dare County District Court case. We handle those too. See federal charges.

Do you have an office in Manteo?

Our office is at 2405 S. Croatan Highway in Nags Head, a short drive from Manteo across the Washington Baum Bridge. Much of the work can be handled by phone, text, and email.

Talk to a Manteo Defense Lawyer

If you are charged with DWI, a traffic offense, or a crime in Manteo or anywhere on Roanoke Island, call or text 252-715-5785. Se habla español.

Please do not include confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail.

This page is general information about North Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation.