Need help with a Georgia DUI?

An experienced Georgia DUI Lawyer can make a huge difference in your case.

If you face a GA DUI, you are probably afraid to go to jail. You are probably worried about losing your drivers license or having to have a breath test machine attached to your car. The prospect of a criminal record and the employment, insurance, family and financial implications of a record may keep you up at night. If you are like most people facing a DUI charge, you may feel alone and overwhelmed by all of the things you need to consider. Perhaps you need somebody to talk to who understands what you are going through? You can get quality help right now.

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Your case is about you, and you deserve the best shot

Think, educate yourself, and make the best decisions in your Georgia DUI case

Georgia DUI Law

Under Georgia DUI law, it is a serious crime to drive any vehicle while your ability to safely operate the car, truck, motorcycle or other vehicle is impaired. Under the law, that impairment can come from alcohol or drugs. While the most common drunk driving acronym used in Georgia is DUI, it is also referred to as DWI and OUI.

The legal alcohol limit under Georgia DUI law is 0.08 percent body alcohol content. However, if you had a 0.05 or greater and were operating your vehicle in a dangerous manner, you can still be convicted of a DUI. For minors (those under the legal drinking age in Georgia), it is illegal to operate a vehicle with a mere 0.02 body alcohol level.

Georgia DUI Penalties

The consequences for DUI in Georgia can be stiff, and include license suspensions, ignition interlock devices, vehicle forfeiture, treatment and education, and jail. A first offense carries between 10 days and 1 year in jail which can be suspended unless you have an alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher, in which case, if convicted, you must do at least 24 hours in jail.

The more DUI convictions you have in your past, the more jail or prison time you are exposed to. For example, a fourth DUI in a 10-year period carries between 1 and 5 years in jail, and the judge can't ever suspend 90 days of it unless the charge is reduced or dismissed. The length of the license suspension and probation also grows with each DUI offense.

The Georgia DUI Court Process

When you are charged with a DUI in Georgia (even a first offense), you face a serious criminal allegation and must go to criminal court. All proceedings in the criminal case follow the Georgia Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Rules of Evidence. If you don't have an attorney, you will be held to the same standard of knowledge and competence as a practicing lawyer. This means that if you go without a lawyer and don't know what you are doing, it can be held against you.

Much of the plea bargaining process happens in and around court. A good DUI lawyer can really make you stand out to a judge or prosecutor, and has a much better shot at explaining why you deserve a break (either through your own merits, or because there is something problematic in the state's case). Without a lawyer, you will have to balance your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself with the free flow of information that is necessary to a successful negotiation. Without a lawyer talking for you, it is like playing poker where you can't see any of your opponent's cards, but your opponent can see all of yours.

Prosecutors and judges view most DUI cases where nobody got hurt as "routine." Unless you have a persuasive voice in the courtroom advocating for you and your future, your case is just another motion on the assembly line of cases that flow through courts in every county of the state, every day.

Your License Suspension Case

In addition to the criminal process, which will determine whether you have a criminal record and whether you have to go to jail, you will also need to deal with the civil license suspension and other driving issues that come part and parcel to every Georgia drunk driving arrest. Make sure that any attorney you hire to help you knows all the details of Georgia Implied Consent law, how to request and successfully conduct an administrative review hearing, and the ins and outs of ignition interlock device law.

While this is important for everybody, it is especially so if you drive for a living, or if you hold a commercial drivers license (CDL).

The case against you may not be as strong as it seems

Were you given a chemical test for alcohol or drugs? Georgia DUI evidence is not foolproof and is subject to several sources of error that can result in an innocent person falsely appearing to be above the legal limit. A good Georgia DUI defense lawyer will be on top of all of the latest issues that can help you in your case. If you are not represented, or if you chose the wrong lawyer, you may never learn about things that can help your case such as scandals within police departments, evidence contamination issues, breath test machine errors, disciplined, injured or retired police officers or other essential witnesses, and many other things that can literally make the difference between you being convicted and branded a criminal, or your case being dismissed and you walking away from your ordeal wiser but no worse for the wear.

It is essential that you have an experienced and trustworthy Georgia DUI lawyer on your side to help navigate the court process and make sure you get the best result possible. We encourage you to contact a GA DUI lawyer in your area for a free initial consultation. To get started, select the county of your arrest below.