Douglas County GA DUI Attorney

A DUI charge in Douglas County or anywhere else in Court can change your life. As seasoned DUI Lawyers in Douglas County Georgia, The Law Offices of Richard S. Lawson know the whirlwind of emotions people experience when charged with a DUI in Douglas County, Georgia. There is so much at stake in your case, and you deserve a lawyer who gets that. You also need a Douglas County DUI Attorney who believes in you. Our lawyers have earned a reputation for taking on tough cases and helping clients take back their reputation. If you have been charged with DUI in Douglas County, call Georgia's premier DUI defense firm now.

The Facts on DUIs in Douglas County, Georgia

DUI is an extremely common charge in Douglas County, as well as throughout Georgia. Georgia legislators have passed strict legislation over the past decade dealing with DUI charges making the penalties high and life-altering. It is critical to know and understand Georgia DUI laws as well as the consequences associated with them. While we provide some information about DUI, contacting our Douglas County DUI Lawyers is the best way to ensure your rights are protected if you have been charged with DUI.

Douglas County DUI Law

To be charged with DUI in Douglas County, a driver's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) must be at a level of .08% or higher for a person 21 years of older. For a person under 21 years, a BAC or .02% will be considered DUI. Also, for people with a commercial driver's license (CDL), the limit is .04%.

Furthermore, a DUI arrest can occur if the officer sees signs of impairment that make it less safe to drive even if you are not over the limit. This is known as DUI less safe.

Another consideration is that technically, you don't even have to be driving to be charged with a DUI. Georgia law states that any person who has control of a vehicle can be charged with a DUI, meaning that you could be pulled over on the side of the road, or parked, and still be charged with DUI.

Douglas County Georgia DUI Penalties

One of the first questions we get from clients is what the consequences will be for their charge. Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict the punishment because it depends on prior criminal history, whether anyone was injured, and other facts of the case.

However, when someone has a first DUI in Georgia, they could face the following penalties:

• 1 to 10 days in jail
• 40 hours of community service
• Substance abuse counseling
• 12 months of probation
• Fine between $300 and $1,000
• Attendance of a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) panel
• Possible driver's license suspension

For a second DUI in Georgia, the following are the potential penalties:

• 90 days to 12 months in jail
• 12-36 months of probation
• 30 days of community service
• DUI school
• Driver's license suspension
• Fines between $600 and $1,000
• Substance abuse counseling
• Red stripe on license

A third DUI in Georgia can have the following potential consequences:

• 120 days to 12 months in jail
• 30 days of community service
• 12 to 36 months of probation
• Fines between $1,000 and $5,000
• Five years of driver's license suspension with an ignition interlock permit available after 2 years
• Habitual violator status
• Drug and alcohol treatment

Douglas County Defenses

Even though the penalties for DUI can be harsh, it is critical to understand that these penalties only apply if you are convicted of DUI in Douglas County. There are a plethora of DUI defenses your Douglas County GA DUI Lawyer can use to defend your case. Some of the defenses include, but are not limited to:

1. Was there a valid reason for the officer to initiate the stop in the first place?
2. Was the officer properly trained to make DUI arrests?
3. If the Breathalyzer was used, was the device up to date on maintenance?
4. If a blood test was done, was there a proper chain of custody for the blood?
5. If there was an accident, could the other driver have been at fault?
6. If the stop was at a roadblock, was the roadblock conducted according to Georgia laws?
7. Did the officer properly read the Implied Consent Notice?
8. Was their probable cause for the vehicle to be searched?
9. Were the field sobriety tests conducted appropriately?
10. Did the driver have an underlying medical condition that made them seem impaired?

For more information on DUI defenses and how they apply to your case, contact our Douglas County DUI Attorneys. 

Douglas County Superior Court

Douglas County Superior Court handles felony DUI cases. The Superior Court is located at 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville, GA 30134. Tammy Howard is the Court Clerk and can be reached at 770-920-7252.

Douglas County State Court

If you were arrested for DUI outside of the Douglasville City limits or anywhere else in incorporated Douglas County, your case will proceed to Douglas County State Court. Additionally, if you request a jury trial in Douglasville Municipal Court, your case will be bound over to State Court. State Court is located on the main floor of the Douglas County Courthouse located at 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville, GA 30134. Tammy Howard is the Clerk of Superior and State Court and can be reached at 770-489-5232.

Douglasville GA Municipal Court

Douglasville Municipal Court has jurisdiction over cases involved traffic violations, city ordinance violations, and other misdemeanors, such as DUI and shoplifting, that occur with the city limits of Douglasville. Court is held in the Douglasville Public Safety Building located at 2083 Fairburn Road, Douglasville, GA 30135. For more information, contact the Court at 678-293-1858. The Court Administrator is Angela Cochran, and the. Honorable B. Keith Rollins is the Municipal Court Judge. If you wish to have a jury trial, you can elect to have your case transferred over to Douglas County State Court.

Contact Us Today

When you are arrested for DUI, the clock immediately starts ticking in your case. The sooner you call our Douglas County Georgia DUI Lawyers, the sooner we can begin working to get the charges against you reduced or dismissed. Contact us now to speak with an experienced UDI defense lawyer 24/7 about your case today.