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.
Today I received a call from a person who got a DUI in Georgia more than 15 years ago. He absconded and never attended court. He moved out-of-state, never to return. For a long time, things worked out well for him. However, things have changed for people who have skipped out on their cases. ...
Why We Do Not Handle "Passing a School Bus" Tickets Issued By Camera: Our office often handles cases where individuals were charged with illegally passing a school bus when a police officer initiates the case. We do not, however, handle school bus tickets or red light tickets when the accused h...
My mother knows more than any person on earth how to cut through the B.S. and make her point. When I was a child, she limited sugar in our household. Cake was only for special occasions, so one day I asked for a muffin for breakfast. My mom lets me know unequivocally that “muffins are cake.” ...
This weekend I watched a classic movie, 5 Card Stud, starring Robert Mitchum. In the 1968 Western, Mitchum portrays a “preacher” who comes to a small town near Denver, Colorado to exact revenge from a lynch mob who killed his brother for cheating at a five-card stud poker game. Apparently, none ...
One of the most frustrating things for both lawyers and clients is when a case a client's case cannot be reached due to their attorney having a case in another court. Georgia Uniform Rule of Superior Court 17.1 governs this situation. The rule requires the attorney to contact each court and op...
Today is the big day! If you are like me; you are getting ready for the Big Game. I can already smell the appetizers and have my game jersey ready! As a box score junkie, I am already checking the statistics. However, before the big game, there are another set of stats you should know. In 20...
This weekend I had the opportunity to watch one of my favorite classic films: I Confess, starring Montgomery Clift. In this Alfred Hitchcock movie, Clift plays a priest accused of murder. However, the priest is not only innocent; he knows the identity of the real murderer because he took his co...
As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, it has become increasingly apparent that I am becoming an endangered species. That is excellent news. I am of the opinion that DUI arrests will go down substantially over the next several years. Eventually, DUI Arrests will become exceedingly rare. Why? Some of the m...
These days when I attend court, I realize I am no longer one of the "young lawyers." I have had the honor of practicing law in Georgia for 21 years. I have attended court in hundreds of jurisdictions throughout Metro Atlanta, Middle Georgia, and North Georgia. As I tell my clients, the court p...
The general advice we give our clients is to complete all the possible conditions of their sentence before going to court. The most common question asked, as a result, is: "Am I making an admission of guilt by completing potential terms of a sentence for which I have not been convicted?" The sh...
In the comedy Better Call Saul, the legal system is portrayed as an endless pursuit of things that do not or should not matter in exchange for a payoff that never seems to come. Saul Goodman never gets the girl, never gets paid, and never seems to be on the right track. "Justice" is accidental,...
Two respected and well-liked citizens of metro Atlanta were killed by a driver fleeing Johns Creek Police late Thursday evening. Kryzysztof Krawczynski and Elzbieta Gurtler-Krawczynska were killed when a car, driven by Larry Thomas, struck the couple's vehicle during a high-speed police chase
President Obama nominated DeKalb County Georgia State Court Judge Dax Lopez for Federal Judgeship. Because Georgia Senator David Perdue opposed his nomination, Judge Lopez will never get a hearing in the United States Senate. Perdue opposed Judge Lopez because of his association with the Georgi...
The recent incident in Cobb County where 26-year-old Israel Rodriquez shot Georgia State Patrol Officer Jacob Fields should remind everyone what to do (and not do) when they have an interaction with law enforcement. The lesson we can learn from this incident is that regardless if the police are r...
Every day people call my office because they or a family member have been charged misdemeanor possession of marijuana. To begin with, my position on all drugs is very simple: I believe in human autonomy and freedom. The first freedom is ownership of one's own body. The idea that government ca...
Can a Person Handle Their Own Georgia DUI Case? To be clear, you are 100% legally entitled to handle any part of your own criminal or DUI case. In fact, you have the right to represent yourself in any legal matter whatsoever. The issue is whether acting “pro se” (on one's behalf) is a smart mo...
Police Encounters: What to do when you interact with the police “Every Action Counts” Every move you make in front of police officers is calculated into reasonable suspicion for searches and seizures, and probable cause for arrest. From stopping you on the road in a vehicle or stopping you on f...
Today's winter weather advisory provides a useful reminder that the combination of impaired driving and bad weather can result in tragedy. In Georgia, our DUI law includes both a "Per Se" alcohol limit of 0.08 and DUI "Less Safe." DUI Per Se: The per se alcohol limits are easy to understand. ...
The Georgia Rules of Evidence Modernized: Back in 2013, Georgia saw its biggest revision to their rules of evidence by becoming the 43rd state to modify their evidence code and to base it off of the Federal Rules of Evidence. These changes have had a serious impact on the criminal law community...
In the 20 years I have practiced law I have seen several changes that have affected our DUI Laws in Georgia. When I started a person could be charged with a first DUI and plea nolo contendre (no contest) so long as their blood alcohol level was below .15 They would not lose their license or eve...
Today is was called by someone who had court tomorrow morning. In fact, the caller tried to call four times between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. I returned the call around 8:00 a.m. As expected, the caller did not have their voicemail setup. Hours later, she called back by looking at her caller I.D. no...
Arrogance Without Accountability – Georgia's Municipal Court Judges Case On Point - Bowdon GA Municipal Court Most people are stunned when I tell them that there is absolutely no accountability insofar as our municipal court judges are concerned. The same people who hire all of the police off...
Labor Day Safety Tips from The Law Offices of Richard Lawson In an effort to increase DUI patrols and other traffic violations, Georgia law enforcement agencies are having DUI checkpoints in out-of-the-way spots along highways over the long Labor Day holiday. We know, we know, it's the unoffici...
Many Georgians will enjoy spending time with family and friends at our numerous lakes and waterways this weekend. Memorial Day weekend is typically seen as the “unofficial” start of summer and boating season and is the 78-hour period that began Friday, May 22nd at 6 PM and will end at midnight o...
My Wasted Sunday and Monday Morning Dealing with DeKalb County Georgia Jail: Over the weekend, one of my clients was arrested for DUI and jailed in DeKalb County Georgia. DeKalb County is a major metropolitan county with almost 700,000 residents and a budget of more than a billion dollars. I hap...
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!
