Union City DUI Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been charged with DUI in Union City GA, call The Law Offices of Richard S. Lawson. While a first DUI offense in Union City may be charged as a misdemeanor, it is still a serious crime. If convicted, the penalties include jail time, community service, fines and more. Call us now if you have been arrested for DUI.

Additional Costs Of A DUI Conviction in Union City

Many people are unaware of the non-judicial penalties a DUI conviction can incur. Fines and jail time are typical punishments, but the consequences of DUI conviction extend far beyond that. Some of the non-judicial costs of a DUI include:

Travel: Some countries, including Canada, will not allow people who have been convicted of a DUI to enter. This may sound extreme, but we have seen this happen even to those charged with a DUI. Canada has full access to United States criminal records and will run a background check on you. When a DUI charge or conviction is revealed, you will either not be let in or will be forced to return to the US if it is discovered after. This is a significant problem for those who travel to Canada for business because there is not a business exemption. However, you will not be allowed in for vacation or fishing either. Canada is not the only country with this rule, so having a DUI conviction on your record can make travel difficult.

School: If you receive an underage DUI and are applying for college, most universities take a serious look at criminal records. You may be denied admission because of that charge. In other cases, scholarship or grant eligibility may be greatly diminished, and existing scholarships can be taken away for DUI convictions. If you were over 21 and are thinking of going back to school, a DUI conviction can still have an impact. It can make it difficult to be accepted or to obtain scholarships.

Employment: Even though DUI charges are relatively common, that does mean employers have thoroughly accepted them. Most employers run background checks on employees. If you are in the transportation industry, a DUI conviction is generally a serious matter. We have seen people lose their jobs because of a DUI conviction. This does not just apply to drivers with CDL licenses either. It applies to people who have company cars, pizza delivery drivers, bus drivers, and does not matter if the DUI was received off the job.

Furthermore, if you have a job that requires you to drive, a license suspension could still cost you your job. Some DUI charges or convictions come with a license suspension (even as little as 30 days). Not having a license could prevent you from doing your job and possibly result in termination.

Ignition Interlock Device: You have the option to install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle to avoid the automatic suspension of your license. However, after a second DUI conviction, the ignition interlock device is mandatory. The device typically costs $150 upfront plus a $75.00 a month in addition to any maintenance expenses. It is important to weigh these costs when trying to decide between installing the device or filing for an ALS hearing.

Incidental Expenses: Other than the court fines and surcharges, there are additional expenses that can quickly add up. One example is if convicted of DUI, or participating in a diversion program, a judge may require that you participate in a drug and alcohol risk reduction course. These courts cost $355.00. If you receive probation, you will be required to pay a monthly monitoring fee and pay for random urine or blood tests. If your license is suspended, you will have to pay a reinstatement fee. There are numerous expenses other than court costs that can make a DUI expensive.

Car Rental: Most car rental companies run driver's license checks on prospective customers in an effort to minimize their losses. If you have a DUI or multiple traffic violations on your driving record, it can make it difficult to rent a vehicle.

Car Insurance: A DUI on your driving record could double or triple your insurance premiums. Some insurance companies will drop you as a customer and refused to insure you if you have a DUI or multiple other traffic violations. This will force your insurance to become very expensive but also force you to choose lesser insurance companies to insure you.

Let our Union City DUI Lawyers Help You

You may not have been aware of all the extra costs associated with a DUI charge. That is where we come in! We are intimately familiar with the judicial and non-judicial costs of a DUI and want to help you avoid these costs. Because of our experience, we can estimate your costs of pleading guilty versus entering into a pre-trial diversion program or pleading guilty to reckless driving. There will be no surprises in your case if you choose us. Our DUI Attorneys in Union City Georgia have over 50 combined years of DUI experience. We want to make that experience work for you. We have relationships with the prosecutors, judges, and clerks in Fulton County and know what to expect at each step in your case.

The Union City DUI Lawyers will carefully craft strong DUI defenses that attack every aspect of the state's case against you. We will make sure your rights, freedom, and future are protected!

Union City Municipal Court

Union City GA Municipal Court handles traffic citations, misdemeanor charges, and local ordinance violations that occur within the city limits of Union City. The Court is located at 5060 Union Street, Union City, GA 30291. The Honorable Ronald J. Freeman, Sr. is the Chief Judge, and Russell Ross is the Associate Judge. The Chief Clerk is Kristie Collier and she can be reached at 770-515-7859.