Clarkston DUI Lawyer

Clarkston DUI Lawyer - Clarkston DUI Attorney

Experienced Legal Advice

The Law Office of Richard Lawson specializes in defending individuals who have been charged with DUI. For over twenty five years, Richard Lawson, a former DUI prosecutor, has honed his DUI Defense skills. He has been on both sides of the courtroom and knows what to expect. He is the top-rated DUI defense attorney in the state, as rated by Avvo. After you check out his reviews, contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.

A DUI Charge Involves Two Separate Prosecutions

First, there is the civil prosecution that concerns your driving privilege because you either failed the State's chemical test of your breath, blood, or urine or simply refused to take the test at all. This prosecution has different rules and is conducted in a different court with a different prosecutor than your criminal case. This civil case can result in your license being suspended.

Secondly, there is the criminal prosecution for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A DUI conviction carries both expensive fines and time in jail.

30-Day Warning!

If you have been arrested for DUI in Clarkston, or anywhere in DeKalb County, you (or your Clarkston DUI Lawyer) need to file a request for an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Hearing or an ignition interlock device within thirty days of your arrest. The filing fee is $150. If you do not request an ALS Hearing or the interlock device, your license will be suspended. If you have been accused of refusing the breath, blood, or urine test, your license will be suspended for one year, with no opportunity for a permit.

What Your Clarkston DUI Attorney Needs to Know

Why were you pulled over? (What was law enforcement's reason vs. what you believe?)
Did you perform any tests? (How do you think you performed?)
Where were these “tests” performed?
Did you have anything to drink?
When did you start drinking? When did you stop?
Did you have any food with or before alcohol?
Were you informed that testing was voluntary?
Did law enforcement inform you of your right to an independent testing of your blood?
When were you advised of your Miranda rights?

What Options Are Available to Resolve My Case?

Case dismissal—This only happens under unusual circumstances. You should be suspicious of any attorney who promises you they can get your case dismissed.

Reduced Charges—This is also difficult to get and does not happen in many cases. Sometimes, evidence and other factors make the prosecution realize their case cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. A reduced charge is still a “win” for the prosecution and you will still have a criminal even after pleading to a non-DUI charge. That is, however, much better than a DUI conviction and the social stigma it carries.

Plea Bargain—If you waive your right to a jury trial, you and the prosecutor will come to an agreement on your punishment. In DUI cases, that is a conviction on your criminal record, but it means punishment will be more lenient. An experienced DUI Lawyer in Clarkston may be able to obtain concessions in plea bargaining if they have a reputation for winning at trial.

Trial—A trial is the only way to be acquitted and have everything removed from your criminal record that was a result of your Clarkston DUI arrest. That is why it is so important to plead “not guilty” and force the prosecution to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Only a Clarkston DUI Lawyer who is experienced in DUI trials and a complete investigation of your case can give you an estimate of how successful your case would be by taking it to trial. Many people do not know that a trial can go through many unexpected and unforeseen changes as it goes along. An experienced Clarkston DUI Attorney can quickly adapt to changes and adjust the defense strategy to win your case.

It is imperative that you ask any attorney you are considering hiring about their jury trial success. Anyone in America who has been accused of a crime has a right to a trial by jury. This fundamental right must be waived in writing for a conviction to be considered valid.

Clarkston Municipal Court

Clarkston Municipal Court is located at 3921 Church Street, Clarkston, GA 30021. The Honorable Steve W. Nicholas is the Municipal Court Judge, and Shirley A. Green is the Chief Clerk.

Clarkston Municipal Court has jurisdiction over violations of City of Clarkston ordinances and State law. These violations typically include traffic violations and other misdemeanors. The Clarkston Municipal Court Judge can give fines, fees, and jail time if a defendant is found to be guilty.

Court is in session approximately five times per month, except for major holidays. Trials are held on the first Tuesday of each month only, with a starting time of 8:00 AM. Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM. For more information, please call (404) 292-9465 or contact Shirley Green, Court Clerk by email at [email protected].

Map to Clarkston Municipal Court

Contact Us

When you need an experienced DUI Lawyer in Clarkston, contact the Law Office of Richard Lawson. We have Clarkston DUI Attorneys waiting to take your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Do not put your case in the hands of an inexperienced lawyer when you have a much better option. Our Clarkston DUI Lawyers will work diligently to get you the best outcome possible. Your best defense begins with us.

Recent Case Results

This case was in Helen Municipal Court. The client was charged with a DUI and four counts of DUI Child Endangerment. In Georgia, for every child under the age of 14 in a vehicle it is considered a separate DUI offense. The client would have been declared an habitual violator from one arrest an... Read On
Client was charged with a suspended license because he did not reinstate his privilege to drive after the expiration of his restricted license. Per my advice, the client properly reinstated his license the day after he was charged. Case Dismissed in Cobb County State Court. Read On
Client was a resident of New York who was arrested while he was visiting Georgia for pleasure. He was charged with DUI, Reckless Driving, and Speeding 37 MPH over the speed limit. We were able to get the client an unbelievable outcome in Hampton, Georgia. His DUI dismissed, his speeding ticket wa... Read On

Recommendations

DUI WITH HIGH BAC (.112) LOWERED TO RECKLESS DRIVING!

Richard was not the first lawyer I spoke with after my DUI charge, but he was the last when searching for representation. This was my very first time encountering any sort of legal dispute so I had no idea what I was doing and I was very scared. Richard was very friendly, down to earth and consol... Read On
Miracle Worker!

Not only did Richard Lawson and his very capable associate get my DUI reduced to reckless driving with parole, but he did something that I didn't think was possible. I was stopped for a moving violation recently. The police arrested me because they showed my driver's license had been suspended. H... Read On
Ideal attorney for anyone

Mr. Lawson is outstanding. He was professional, attentive to any requests, and got the outcome I wanted but thought was unachievable. I had been arrested for a DUI. The case was very difficult, intricate, and was seemingly without hope, but Mr. Lawson was able to get the charges drastically reduc... Read On