Talbot County GA DUI Lawyer

Talbot County DUI Lawyer - Talbot County DUI Attorney

Talbotton DUI Lawyer - Talbotton DUI Attorney

Woodland GA DUI Lawyer - Woodland GA DUI Attorney

Richard Lawson is a former DUI prosecutor with over 25 years' experience in Georgia DUI law. Our firm, the Law Office of Richard Lawson is solely dedicated to DUI defense. If you have been arrested for DUI in Talbot County and need a Talbot County DUI Lawyer, check out our reviews on Avvo and contact our office for a free consultation.

30-Day Warning!

You only have thirty days from the date of your DUI arrest to request an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) hearing or an ignition interlock device. This hearing or device can keep your Georgia driver's license from automatic suspension if filed promptly. The cost to file is $150. If you choose a Talbot County DUI Attorney from the Law Office of Richard Lawson, we will file your ALS hearing request for you.

If you refused the State's chemical test of your breath, blood, or urine, your Georgia driver's license will be suspended for one full year with no chance for an early reinstatement or a limited permit. Contact a Talbot County DUI Lawyer as soon as possible after your DUI arrest.

Should I Plead Guilty?

When you have been arrested for driving under the influence, you will be given a court date. When you arrive at the courthouse, you will go before a judge and will be asked how you would like to plead. That is the most important decision you will have to make regarding your Talbot County DUI case. There are three pleas you may enter:

Guilty—When you plead guilty to DUI, you essentially admit you were driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. You give up your right to remain silent as well as having the officer prove the State's case against you in court. When you plead guilty, you will indeed face the harsh penalties associated with a Georgia DUI conviction, including a criminal record and a driver's license suspension. Nothing about pleading guilty is better than fighting your charges. The penalties are the same as if you were found guilty by a judge or jury.

No Contest—A nolo contendere or “no contest” plea is just the same as a guilty plea with the exception that you admit there is more than likely enough evidence for a conviction; not that you are actually guilty. The penalties are the same as pleading guilty.

Not Guilty—Pleading not guilty keeps all of your rights as a criminal defendant intact and is the only possible way you have of avoiding the consequences of a Talbot County DUI conviction. If you want to keep your driving privilege, avoid having a permanent criminal record, and all the other penalties that come with a DUI conviction, pleading not guilty is your only option.

If your answer is yes to any of the following questions, you should definitely consider fighting your DUI charges by hiring a Talbot County DUI Attorney and plead not guilty:

Do you want to avoid having a criminal record for the rest of your life?
Do you want to avoid losing your Georgia driver's license?
Will a DUI conviction jeopardize your current employment?
Will a DUI conviction make it more difficult for you to secure future employment?
Are you innocent of the charges against you?
Were there issues regarding your DUI arrest?

When you choose to fight your Talbot County DUI charges, you have the opportunity to possibly avoid the punishments that come with a Georgia DUI conviction. Our Talbot County DUI Lawyers assist clients in contesting all facets of the case against them, including probable cause issues, Miranda rights, problems with field sobriety testing, breath testing procedure, and actual impairment. When the choice is made to fight your case, it will give our Talbot County DUI Attorneys the chance to explore the possibility of a dismissal, plea agreement, or a not guilty verdict at trial.

Can My DUI Charge Be Dismissed?

Yes, in one of the following ways:

The prosecution can elect to dismiss your case voluntarily. Something like this does not happen unless the arresting officer is unavailable or there is some glaring legal issue.
Your case may be dismissed by the judge for a particular legal reason. For example, if the arresting officer did not follow proper arrest protocol, or if the prosecution did not provide discovery information in a timely manner.
You can be found not guilty after a trial. If you decide to challenge your DUI charge by going to trial, a not guilty verdict will dismiss your DUI case.
You can get a dismissal via plea bargaining. Your Talbot County DUI Lawyer may be able to negotiate a resolution with the prosecution to dismiss your case as part of a plea agreement. A plea agreement might involve you pleading guilty to other charges, or have your DUI charge reduced to the lesser charge of reckless driving or other offense.

Back in the day, judges and law enforcement officers would sometimes dismiss DUI cases because they felt sorry for the defendant or some other reason. Maybe the defendant was an upstanding citizen who had never been in trouble with the law before, or if a DUI conviction would make them lose their employment. However, now that DUI has become such a big political issue, cases are not dismissed unless there is a valid legal reason, or the defense attorney can show reasonable doubt by going to trial. Anyone charged with DUI in Talbot County needs an experienced Talbot County DUI Attorney.

Talbot County GA Court System

In Talbot County, Georgia there are several courts that could have jurisdiction over your DUI case depending on the location of your arrest. If your misdemeanor DUI arrest occurred in Talbotton or Woodland, your case would be heard in their respective municipal courts. No matter which court has jurisdiction over your case, our Talbot County DUI Lawyers will take care of everything for you and make sure your rights are protected.

Talbotton GA Municipal Court

If you were arrested for misdemeanor DUI in Talbotton GA, you need an experienced DUI Lawyer in Talbotton to defend you in Talbotton Municipal Court. The Honorable John Gilson is the Municipal Court Judge, and Jennifer Findley is the Chief Court Clerk. Court is held at 15 South Washington Avenue, Talbotton, GA 31827. Please call (706) 665-8542 for more information. When you need DUI Defense from a Talbotton DUI Lawyer, contact the Law Office of Richard Lawson.

Map to Talbotton GA Municipal Court

Woodland GA Municipal Court

A misdemeanor DUI arrest in Woodland GA needs legal representation from a DUI Lawyer in Woodland GA. The Clerk of Court is Anne M. Heath, and may be reached by calling (706) 674-2200. The Honorable Robert W. Shuman, Sr. is the Municipal Court Judge. Court is held at 36 Main Street, Woodland, GA 31836. Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM. Please contact our office to speak to a Woodland GA DUI Lawyer today.

Map to Woodland GA Municipal Court

Talbot County GA Probate Court

If your misdemeanor DUI arrest occurred in an unincorporated area of Talbot County, your case will begin in Talbot County Probate Court. The Honorable John Terry is the Probate Court Judge. The court address is 26 South Washington Avenue, Talbotton, GA 31827. Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM. Call (706) 665-8866 or (706) 665-3598 for more information.

Talbot County GA Superior Court

Talbot County Superior Court is responsible for handling all felony cases and jury trials. The Talbot County Superior Court Clerk is Penny Dillingham Mahone, and may be reached by calling (706) 665-3276 or (706) 665-3239.

Talbot County is part of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit, along with Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, and Taylor Counties. There are seven judges who hear cases:

Honorable Gil McBride (Chief Judge)
Honorable Maureen Gottfried
Honorable Frank J. Jordan, Jr.
Honorable Ron Mullins
Honorable Bobby G. Peters
Honorable William Rumer
Honorable Arthur L. Smith, III

Map to Talbot County Probate and Superior Courts

District Attorney Julia Slater handles the prosecution of all misdemeanor and felony cases in Talbot County Superior Court. Her contact information is:

Julia Slater, District Attorney

Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit

100 10th Street, 3rd Floor

Columbus, GA 31901

(706) 653-4336

What is My Next Step?

Your next step is to call our office for a free, no-obligation consultation. The only way to avoid a Talbot County DUI conviction is not to be convicted. Our office advises anyone who has been arrested for DUI in Talbot County to consult with a qualified Talbot County DUI Attorney before appearing in court. Our Talbot County DUI Lawyers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for your convenience. Weekends and holidays, too!

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