Douglasville GA DUI Attorney
When you are facing DUI charges, you need to choose a Douglasville DUI Lawyer who has experience and skill in this field of law. DUI charges can have a significant impact on your future if they are not defended properly. Your privilege to drive is at stake along with many other things. Call our DUI Lawyers in Douglasville GA today to see how we can protect your rights, freedoms, and future.
Douglasville DUI Defense
Our DUI Lawyers in Douglasville GA have devoted their practice to defending the rights of those accused of driving under the influence (DUI). Our lawyers make it their responsibility to know the ins and outs of the DUI process, from arrest, to court, and ALS hearings, to final sentencing. Our Douglasville GA DUI Lawyers have decades of experience that have provided us with the knowledge and insight into the DUI process that few others can match.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest?
After being arrested, you will be requested to submit to breath or blood testing, usually at the police station. This is a different test from the Breathalyzer you may or may not have given when you are stopped. We frequently speak with clients who are unsure if they can legally refuse testing or not. When you are pulled over on the side of the road, you do not have to participate in field sobriety tests or the Breathalyzer test. Contrary to popular belief, the breathalyzers used by police officers are not always accurate. However, after the arrest, you are required by law to participate in the breath and blood testing, and a refusal of these tests will result in a suspension of your driver's license.
Furthermore, after being charged with DUI in Georgia, you now face two battles: the administrative license suspension from the Georgia Department of Driver Services and the criminal prosecution. The administrative proceeding involves DDS attempting to suspend your license or your privilege to drive in Georgia. The criminal case is where you face the possibility of jail time, a fine, and other penalties.
The DDS proceeding is started once you are arrested. In Georgia, you must request an Administrative License Hearing within 30 days of your arrest. This hearing is separate and distinct from your criminal case! Therefore, even if your criminal case is dismissed, if you failed to request an ALS hearing, your license will still be suspended. The hearing must be requested in writing with the $150 fee. Your Douglasville GA DUI Lawyer will explain this process to you and make sure your driving privileges are protected!
The other side of your case is the criminal case. In Georgia, DUI cases can be shared as a misdemeanor or a felony. This depends on whether one has any prior DUI convictions and whether there was an accident or an injury to another person. If a person has a prior DUI conviction, there are significant jail sentences that a judge can impose.
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 Douglasville 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 DUI defense lawyer 24/7 about your case today.