Can a Person Move After a Georgia DUI Arrest?

Yes, but with qualifications.  When a person is on bond for a misdemeanor offense such as DUI, they are allowed to relocate, but must still make sure they do not miss any court appearances.

In a DUI case, there is both the criminal court date and the administrative license suspension (ALS) hearing.  Because the court system has not adapted to modern technology, notices for these hearings are sent via the United States Postal Service. Because mail forwarding is typically unreliable, you cannot depend on getting a notice if you have changed addresses.

How to Make Sure Your Court Date is Not Missed

The first thing a person should do is update their address with the clerk of court in which their case is being held.  This should be done in person and on the form they use.  The second thing is to make sure all notices are also being sent to your attorney.  When your attorney files a "Notice of Appearance," all notices will also be sent to him or her.  The third thing to do is to notify the bonding company of any change of address because they are also notified of your criminal court date and share an interest in your appearance.  Please note, they are not informed of the ALS hearing date.  Finally, it never hurts to contact the clerk of court and check the date, as court dates are subject to change.

Always remember that is the responsibility of the accused to appear in court.  The excuse that the notice was not received or "my attorney did not tell me" will not be accepted by the court.  The accused is subject to having a warrant issued for their arrest if they fail to appear in court.