Douglas County DUI Attorneys

Have You Been Arrested for DUI in West Georgia?

If you have been arrested for DUI in Dallas, Atlanta, or West Georgia, you need an accomplished Douglas County DUI attorney on your side who will be able to review your case, analyze the circumstances surrounding your arrest, determine if field sobriety tests and blood and breath tests were administered properly, interview any eyewitnesses, do further investigations as needed, and advise you on the best course of action to pursue. You need to contact a Georgia DUI lawyer from Howard Law Group today.

Drunk driving is the most common criminal offense in the United States. It is almost always committed by a noncriminal and a respectful citizen. Don't make the mistake the of considering a DUI just another traffic offense. It has its own set of unique procedures and laws that need to be followed.

At times, law enforcement officials will give the impression that failing a field sobriety test or blowing a .08% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) on a breathalyzer are all that is needed to convict. That is far from the truth. A knowledgeable and experienced Douglas County DUI lawyer is well-versed in the entire DUI process and knows how to expose weaknesses in the prosecution's case against you.

Arrested for DUI in Georgia? Speak with our attorney in a free consultation to discuss your defense today!

Potential Penalties for a DUI Conviction

Make no mistake, however, that anyone who gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not only putting their safety at risk, but the safety and well-being of all the other people on the road.

That is why anyone convicted of a first-time DUI will be subject to:

• Fines between $300-$1000
• Mandatory 24 hour jail time, in addition to between a 10-day to 1-year sentence
• 12 months probation
• 40 hours of community service
• Clinical evaluation for substance or alcohol abuse and mandatory treatment, if needed
• Driver's license suspension for 1-year
• Completion of court-ordered Risk Reduction (DUI) School

Anyone who is convicted of a second or multiple DUI within a 10-year period, who has caused an accident with serious injuries or a fatality while under the influence, who had a minor in the vehicle during a DUI arrest, or who was driving on a suspended license, will be facing additional and much more severe penalties including the possibility of life imprisonment.

In many instances, the judge will also order the installation of an ignition device on your vehicle and/or unscheduled urine tests to determine whether or not you are adhering to the terms of your probation.

Field Sobriety Evaluations

When you are pulled over by law-enforcement officer on suspicion of DUI you may be put through a series of field sobriety tests. Oftentimes these tests are done improperly and are done with the bias intent on the part of the officer to make probable cause for his DUI arrest.

Even when a client is sober and able to perform the tests very well, the officer will come up with ways to write his report in a manner that will show some degree of intoxication on the part of the client. There have been cases where clients represented by Howard Law Group have been completely sober and have even taken theIntoxilyzer 5000 test which came out below the .08 grams percent and the officer decided to arrest based on manifestations of drinking.

Less Safe DUI in Georgia

A common misconception is that in order to be convicted of driving under the influence you must have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 grams or more. While this is one way of proving that a person was driving under the influence of an intoxicant, this is not always needed for a conviction. In fact, the legal standard to show that a person was in fact driving under the influence depends on two very vague words: "less safe." What does this mean? How do the courts measure this?

First, it is important to note that there are various types of charges to be brought against a person who has allegedly been driving under the influence. There is driving under the influence per se and driving under the influence less safe. A BAC of 0.08 grams or more is sufficient to show that a person was driving under the influence per se. A DUI less safe, on the other hand, can be demonstrated through circumstantial evidence.

Just because one's BAC is lower than 0.08 grams does not mean they cannot be charged with a DUI. For more information concerning DUI contact our Douglasville attorney who specializes in criminal defense.

Douglas County DUI Lawyer Serving Metro Atlanta & West Georgia

The firm has many years experience successfully representing clients facing all manner of criminal and DUI-related charges. The firm prides itself in being responsive to its clients, while always being prepared to fight aggressively on their behalf. The Georgia DUI lawyers at the firm are dedicated to providing clients with the hard-hitting representation they need when facing DUI charges.

Attorneys at Howard Law Group will apprise you of the penalties for drunk driving in the event the defense is unsuccessful. In a jurisdiction where judges enhance sentences as additional punishment for pleading not guilty, you should also be informed by an attorney who practices in that jurisdiction. We will review each and every facet of the case with you, explaining in some detail how the defense would expect to proceed.

Although subsequently discovered information or events might dramatically alter the planned strategy or approach, we will be honest in explaining the pros and cons of the case. Many cases can either be won or substantially strengthened through the use of appropriate pretrial motions, and of course careful preparation and great effort can win most cases.

If you have been arrested for DUI in Douglas, Fulton, or Paulding counties, or anywhere in Metro Atlanta or West Georgia, contact a Douglas County DUI attorney from the firm today.