The laws on DUIs are ever-changing and each year, thousands of DUI cases are taken up on appeal across the nation. Many of these result in written opinions by judges that then become law. In addition, each new DUI or traffic-related offense in the news has the potential to cause changes in the law. These changes are the result of public reaction to serious car accidents and deaths on the roadways of the United States.
That is why Richard Lawson has developed this website; to provide you with 24-hour access to the latest updates on DUI laws and DUI related news. Our goal is to inform our clients and the general public about the latest news and legal decisions. Accordingly, we update our blog and the entire website daily. All of our articles are written by the Georgia DUI Lawyers that work for our firm or affiliates.
For instance, there has been a flurry of legal activity over the legality of roadblocks, in Georgia and across the nation. Seen as a minor intrusion by some courts and an unnecessary infringement upon Fourth Amendment rights by others, the matter seems far from settled. Roadblocks must be established in accordance with the United States and Georgia Constitutions. The police cannot simply have a roadblock any place or any time they want.
There also has been a rash of injuries and deaths on our roadways. The death or injury of any motorist is a tragedy, and as a result; our legislature reacts to the carnage on the road with new laws designed to curb accidents. That is why our laws change every year.
Another recent change in the law regards the 'Boating Under the Influence' legislation in the State. The Boating code was completely overhauled in 2013; attorneys who do not regularly practice DUI law might be unaware of the new changes to the law.
Knowledge is power, and this blog is designed to help you take the most updated information on your defense. It is our goal for you to use the wealth of information on this site; including the Georgia Information Blog, Resources, and Practice Areas pages to help you decide the best course of action in your DUI case.
What grounds does a law enforcement officer need to stop a suspected drunk driver? Are observations made prior to the driver ever getting behind the wheel enough? That is the question that a Florida appellate court recently grappled with. Hermeen Jacobson, the defendant, was out at the Azalea Lo...
It was another busy month in Georgia with many DUI arrests. It is important to remember that a DUI can happen to anyone. On September 25th, 2017 a 20-year-old man crashed into a utility pole near the Clarkston Campus of Georgia State University Perimeter College. He was a student of the universi...
Some people think that DUI charges only happen to bad people, but nothing is further from the truth. A DUI arrest is a mistake, not a statement of bad character. DUI is not a crime of moral turpitude. This week Richard Autry, the Rockdale County Public Schools Superintendent, was arrested Sunday...
Field sobriety tests (FSTs) are one of the common ways for law enforcement officers to determine if a driver is too intoxicated to be behind the wheel. While these tests may be useful in figuring out if a driver has been drinking alcohol, their effectiveness in determining if a driver is under th...
The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects us from unreasonable searches and seizures. A police officer cannot just pull over a vehicle to meet a quota or because he or she feels like it. They must have a reasonable and articulable suspicion that a violation of the law has oc...
As summer comes to a close, a new season begins: football season. If you are from the South, you understand that fall is a sacred time of year. Whether you are a Georgia fan, Georgia Tech fan or possibly even a Georgia State fan, this is an exciting time of year. Football season and tailgating go...
The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution states “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and par...
One of the questions most new clients ask is whether a DUI is a crime of moral turpitude? In other words, does being arrested for a DUI means that a person has bad character? The simple answer is “no.” DUI is not considered to be a crime of bad character. In Georgia, it is considered to be a tra...
Teenagers often have a false notion that mistakes they make while they are young do not have lifetime consequences. Nothing could be further from the truth. This misperception may be the result of depictions on television, in the movies, or on social media where underage drinking is seen as norma...
Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms, boasting some 319 million active users as of 2016. Users have 140 characters to convey their thoughts and can also add pictures and video to their tweets. There are many, many different kinds of Twitter users from regular people to celebr...
DUI Checkpoints are also known as sobriety checkpoints, and they are designated locations where law enforcement officers stop and check drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment. American motorists search the Internet on how to detect checkpoints tens of thousands of times per month. It app...
When a person is out of their element, sometimes it can cause him or her to use bad judgment. One thing that comes to mind is people who have been displaced by a hurricane or other natural disasters. Naturally, when people are under pressure they often turn to alcohol use. There was a time when ...
Recently a Georgia man was sentenced to prison because of an accident that occurred on Super Bowl Sunday this past February. On that day Jerry Lee Scott, of Cobb County, was driving with five other people in his car, including two adults and three children. The children were Scotts daughters and...
For many minor criminal offenses, prosecutors often offer people the opportunity to enter into a diversion program, instead of being prosecuted. Diversion is an alternative to prosecution. As a result, a court cannot sentence a person into it. Only the prosecution can choose whether to offer som...
During the month of August in Georgia and especially this past week, there have been a tremendous number of DUI accidents and traffic accidents. This has been a month of some very poor decisions for people and some terrible consequences for others. First, some new information has been released c...
Numerous states have recently legalized the recreational use of marijuana. When new laws pass, there are always issues that arise after the law is implemented. One issue that has arisen with the passage of the recreational marijuana laws is how to determine when a driver is too high to be behind ...
Whether Lt. Abbott was fired or he resigned, his 28-year police career is over. For no apparent reason, he told a suspected DUI driver not to fear him because: We only kill black people. This was in response to her fear that he would harm her because he was a police officer. Her fear of the pol...
Guest Blog by Sarah Illg: Summer is coming to an end, and most kids are back in school. My son starts back to school on Monday, and as a mom, I feel mixed emotions. I love spending time with my little one, by the end of summer we have run out of family friendly entertainment for the kiddos. Sch...
On Monday, August 21st, a bus driver in Walton County Georgia was arrested for driving under the influence, along with 16 counts of DUI child endangerment. Bus driver Carole Ann Etheridge drives a bus that transports middle and high school students to Loganville schools. Someone reported her err...
Colorado is trying out an innovative drunk driving prevention program “[w]ith the goal of reducing the number of DUI-related fatalities and offenses in the state. According to the Denver Post, the Colorado Department of Transportation is partnering with BACtrack for a campaign entitled, “Before ...
No attorney can make every single court appearance. Attorneys have court conflicts, take vacations, take sick leave, and have family emergencies like anyone else. Naturally, people get anxious when another attorney appears on their behalf. Rest assured we never will outsource your case to a lawy...
People do not always take traffic tickets seriously and think that nothing will happen if they do not show up for court. However, they could not be more wrong. I am often still surprised to hear how many people fail to answer in court. Failing to show up in a Georgia traffic court could result i...
The Forsyth County Sheriffs Office has recently announced the implementation of a campaign against texting and driving, that will include undercover operations to ticket violators. This is not the first time a police department has put their resources into conducting covert operations for textin...
Everyone can make poor choices. Unfortunately when you are a high profile individual, such as a celebrity or even just a well-known person within a community, your poor choices can make the evening news. Such is the case for Georgia State University (GSU) Police Chief Joseph Spillane. Spillane w...
Being declared a habitual violator is not a crime but instead a status. According to O.C.G.A. §40-5-58 a habitual violator means any person who has been arrested and convicted within the United States three or more times within a five-year period. In Georgia, you can become a habitual violator ...
At the Law Office of Richard S. Lawson, we have offices conveniently located throughout metro Atlanta and throughout Georgia. If we do not have a convenient office, we will come to you. We practice throughout Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. If your case is in an area we do not serve, we will find you an attorney in your area free of charge. Our office is part of a State-wide network of Georgia DUI Lawyers. Contact us 24/7 for immediate legal help. Our attorneys are standing by. Your DUI Case will not defend itself. Your Best Georgia DUI Defense Begins Here!
