DUI
Aggressive DUI Defense
Most people in Georgia cannot get by without a driver’s license. If you are a bus or truck driver, your license is your livelihood. A conviction for driving under the influence means a criminal record and possible jail time.
Even worse, it can result in a driver’s license suspension for a year or more. The penalties for DUI are especially harsh for under-21 drivers, commercial drivers, and repeat offenders.
You Have 30 Days to Avoid an Automatic License Suspension
During your arrest for DUI in Georgia, the police will typically take your driver’s license and give you a form (DDS Form 1205). That form serves as your driver’s license until your case is resolved. It also serves as the official notice that your license shall be suspended within 30 days of arrest unless you request a hearing.
Do not delay if you have been stopped for a DUI. Contact Dutton & Dutton Law Firm, LLC for an experienced DUI defense and we may be able to prevent your license suspension.
A DUI Can Result in Many Lasting Penalties
The penalties sting even for a first offense of driving drunk â 24 hours in jail, plus fines and community service. You can lose your license for up to 12 months unless you qualify for a work permit.
- For drivers under age 21, almost any amount of alcohol (BAC of .02) counts as a DUI, and a conviction carries a “hard suspension” of six months to 12 months with no possibility of a work permit to drive to school or work.
- If you have a commercial driver’s license, your commercial driver’s license can be suspended for 12 months for a BAC of .04 or greater, even if you were not driving a commercial vehicle at the time of the arrest.
- A second DUI in five years is punishable by a three-year suspension, with 18 months of hard suspension before a work permit will even be considered. All repeat offenders are subject to mandatory jail time, an ignition interlock device, a special DUI license plate, and/or other fines, fees and conditions.
- Aggravating factors (child on board, suspended license, BAC higher than .15) also increase the penalties.
Does a Breathalyzer Mean You Will Be Convicted?
If you were pulled over and failed the roadside tests and Breathalyzer, you may believe you don’t stand a chance of challenging your arrest. Don’t give up. There may be any number of flaws in the case against you. From our trial experience, we know the questions to ask to get weak evidence suppressed, which can result in a dismissal, a favorable plea deal, or viable defenses at trial.
A close analysis of the facts often reveals a lack of probable cause for a traffic stop or procedural errors by the officer in some phase of the sobriety tests and arrest. Prosecutors like to win and may negotiate a problematic DUI to a charge of reckless driving or failure to use due care.
This is crucial for commercial drivers who depend on a CDL because a DUI conviction carries a one-year CDL suspension, and a second offense can result in lifetime CDL disqualification.
A Lawyer Working Toward Reducing Consequences for DUI Charges
At Dutton & Dutton Law Firm, LLC in Griffin, Georgia, we understand the threat to your livelihood posed by a DUI conviction. We can help! Contact our firm today by calling 770-229-5959 or send us an email and let us provide you with an aggressive defense for your DUI charge.