Lake City GA DUI Lawyer
At The Law Offices of Richard S. Lawson, our team of DUI Attorneys in Lake City GA is prepared to build a powerful defense in your favor so you can hopefully get out of being convicted of such a severe offense. We'll examine the circumstances of your arrest to determine which strategy will yield the most favorable outcome on your case. You can be sure that we'll stop at nothing to ensure you aren't found guilty. Call us now for a free case evaluation and find out how we will protect your rights, freedom, and future.
Felony DUI Charge
Most DUI charges are classified as misdemeanor offenses. However, there are certain situations where the DUI can be charged as a felony offense. Once convicted of a felony DUI in Georgia, it will stay on your record for the rest of your life. The punishment for a felony DUI extends beyond prison and hefty fines. People who have a felony on their criminal record generally lose the right to hold public offense, the right to vote, and lose the ability to own and possess firearms. It can also make it more difficult to obtain housing, credit, or employment.
A person will be charged with felony DUI in Georgia if they are convicted of a fourth DUI or subsequent DUI within 10 years. The penalty is a prison term between one and five years and a fine up to $5,000. Additional consequences include a minimum of 60 days of community service, a clinical evaluation, and DUI school.
It is important to note that a person convicted of a third or subsequent DUI within five years will be classified and declared a habitual violator. Habitual violator is a status and not a criminal offense in and of itself. However, there are penalties that accompany a habitual violator status. One such penalty is that a HV will have their license revoked for five years.
Whether this is your first, second, third, or fourth DUI, our Lake City GA DUI Lawyers can help. Do not make the mistake of thinking there are no options available to you if charged with felony DUI in Reynolds GA. Whether you are a habitual violator or a first time DUI driver, our attorneys want to help with your case. There are always Atlanta DUI Defenses that we can use to support your case. However, time is of the essence with DUI cases. You only have 30 days to prevent the automatic suspension of your driver's license. Additionally, the more time you give us to collect evidence, the better. Call now.
Lake City DUI Defense
When we speak with clients, one of the first questions they ask is what arguments can you use to defend my case. There is not a one-size fits all defense that we use. At The Law Offices of Richard S. Lawson, we will spend hours reviewing the circumstances of your particular charges in order to tailor our arguments to your case. While there are some defensive strategies that are used by our Lake City GA DUI attorneys more frequently than others, we take the time to review all the evidence in your case to make sure we are attacking every weakness in the State's case.
One example of how we can defend your DUI case is by getting the DUI charge reduced to a reckless driving charge. While this is not appropriate in every situation, it is beneficial for some people. We can achieve this when the prosecutor doesn't have the evidence needed to convict you of DUI. Another option is arguing that the police officer who pulled you over did not have probable cause to do so, resulting in an improper stop.
Alternatively, we may question the validity of any of the chemical tests that were done upon your stop and arrest. If the field sobriety test or breathalyzer gave inaccurate results, you may be able to avoid a conviction altogether.
Another possible defense our Lake City GA DUI lawyers could use is that your blood alcohol levels were actually below the legal limit but rose higher between the time that you were stopped by law enforcement and the time of the breathalyzer test. Your attorney will need to thoroughly examine the details of your stop and arrest to ascertain which of these defenses may fit with your case.
We tell you all of this to encourage you that your case is not hopeless! No matter the circumstances, there are arguments our Lake City GA DUI Lawyers can use to bolster your case and protect you! Call us now for a free case evaluation.
Lake City GA Municipal Court
The Municipal Court of Lake City handles city ordinance violations, traffic offenses, possession of marijuana charges, shoplifting charges, and DUI charges that occur within Lake City. The Court is located at 5455 Jonesboro Road, Lake City, GA 30260. For more information, call 404-366-8037.