Arraignment in Georgia DUI Cases

Arraignment marks the start of the criminal prosecution in your DUI case. Arraignment refers to a hearing where the prosecution announces the charges it has filed against the accused. At the arraignment, the accused has to respond by pleading guilty or not guilty. Hiring a Georgia DUI Lawyer before your arraignment can make all the difference in your case. If you or a loved one have your arraignment hearing coming up, contact our office today to explore your options.

What is Arraignment in Georgia DUI Cases?

In some cases, the arraignment hearing is only a couple of days after a person's arrest. However, the majority of the time, it is scheduled for several weeks after the arrest. At the arraignment, your Georgia DUI Attorney will enter an initial plea.  No matter how you ultimately decide to resolve your case, the initial plea will be a plea of not guilty. 

The importance of arraignment has less to do with the plea and more to do with the filing of motions. Motions must be filed either before or at arraignment, and a failure to file motions could drastically impact your case. Our DUI Lawyers in Georgia know how important it is to file the appropriate motions in your case to ensure your rights are protected. These motions will allow them to obtain the incident report, arrest videos, scientific reports, witness statements, and any other evidence pertaining to your case. The evidence from these motions could mean the difference between a conviction and a dismissal of your Georgia DUI case.

Do I Have to Go To My Arraignment?

There is usually only one arraignment for State and Superior Court cases, and sometimes the court will allow the accused a continuance to hire an attorney. However, in Municipal Court, there can be multiple arraignments.

You have the right to attend your arraignment and hear all of the charges against you. However, our office generally “waives arraignment.” This does mean that we are waiving the rights we talked about earlier. It means that instead of appearing in person, we will file all of the motions before the actual court date. In addition, your lawyer will file a plea of “not guilty” in writing. Basically, the arraignment still occurs just without you or your lawyer's presence. Please note, that while we can waive your presence at arraignment, there are other court appearances that you will have to attend in person.

Hire Our Georgia DUI Attorneys Before Your Arraignment

As explained above, arraignment is an integral part of your case, and you should not just ignore it. A failure to waive your presence or file motions could result in a DUI conviction. If you have any questions about your upcoming arraignment, or even if it is tomorrow, we are here to help. Our office is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer your call. Our lawyers have over 25 years of experience defending DUI charges in Georgia and know how to handle the arraignment process and protect your rights. Call now.