Commerce DUI Lawyer - Commerce DUI Attorney

Our Commerce DUI Attorneys have been handling DUI cases for over 25 years. Richard Lawson started his legal career as a prosecutor but has been using that experience to help negotiate reduced sentences and get cases dismissed for his clients. If you have been charged with a DUI in Commerce, call now for a free case evaluation. Lawson and Berry is the AVVO TOP-RANKED DUI firm in Commerce, Georgia and throughout the Metro Atlanta area. 

30 Day Warning!

If you have been arrested for DUI in Commerce or anywhere else in Jackson County, you only have 30 days to file an appeal or your license will automatically be suspended. It costs $150 to submit this request. However, you do have the option to install an ignition interlock device instead of requesting the hearing. No decision should be made without first consulting with a Commerce DUI Attorney. A failure to request a hearing or install the device will result in a maximum of a 12-month license suspension. Call now to protect your driving privileges.

What Happens Next After a DUI Arrest in Commerce

If you have been charged with a DUI in Commerce, you actually have two separate cases against you. There is the criminal case against you, but the Department of Driver's Services also has a case against you. The DDS case addresses the license suspension element, and they will automatically suspend your license forty six (46) days after you receive your DUI citation. To prevent the license suspension, you must file the thirty-day letter. For a first DUI arrest, you also have the option to install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle instead of requesting the hearing. No decision should be made until first speaking with an experienced Commerce DUI Lawyer. There is no straight forward answer as to whether you should request the ALS hearing or install the device. We will review your case and your circumstances to come up with the best solution in your case. It is important to note that once a decision has been made, your request to install the device or request the hearing cannot be changed.

Filing the 30-day letter means that you are requesting an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Hearing. Your attorney will go on your behalf to advocate for the license suspension to be overturned. They will negotiate with the arresting officer to try and see if they will drop the license suspension. They may agree to drop it with you pleading guilty to a DUI, or they may be persuaded to drop it in exchange for a guilty plea to reckless driving. If an agreement cannot be reached, then your DUI Attorney in Commerce can argue the lack of probable cause for the arrest or that the officer violated Georgia's Implied Consent Law. Winning the ALS hearing saves your ability to drive in Georgia.

Commerce DUI Defense

Being arrested and charged with DUI can be stressful and embarrassing. Our Commerce Georgia DUI Lawyers understand everything you are going through and that you would like to get your life back together as soon as possible. We will aggressively represent you at both the ALS hearing and during the criminal case. At the ALS hearing, our goal is to keep you driving and prevent your driver's license from being suspended. After that hearing, then we will work on fighting your criminal case. We will work to get your DUI charge dismissed; but if that is impossible, then we will push to get you a reduced punishment.

Our Commerce DUI Lawyers have over 50 combined years of experience. While we understand there are other attorneys you can turn to, our lawyers have developed skills that come only with years of experience as former prosecutors and running DUI Defense firms. We promise to keep you informed at every step and provide you with options whether it is through negotiation, plea-bargaining, or going to trial. We understand the penalties you are facing and the consequences they can have on your life and your future. Our Commerce DUI Lawyers have developed a relationship with the judges, solicitors, and clerks in Jackson County. We know how to reach an agreement, but we also know when we are going to have to take a case to trial.

Defending Your Criminal Charges

As stated previously, there are two cases against you when arrested for a DUI. The DDS portion is generally resolved before the criminal case. After a DUI arrest, you were more than likely given a ticket ordering you to appear in court for the DUI or related charges. You must attend your court appearance, or a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest. However, if you hire a Commerce DUI Attorney before this court date, then they will go in your place.

When arrested for DUI, it is crucial for you to understand that a DUI arrest does not mean you are guilty. Developing a defense is complicated but rest assured, we will diligently work to explore every argument for your case. Everyone makes mistakes, even police officers and there are multiple ways we can challenge your blood and breath tests as well as the basis for the DUI stop. Defending your case starts with poking holes in the State's case against you. We can then challenge the arresting officer's report and testimony in your case. Blood and breath tests results can also be challenged. Many people do not know that breath tests can be challenged for a variety of reasons such as defective equipment, failure to maintain testing equipment, and even how the tests are conducted. Blood tests can be challenged for how the sample was collected laboratory procedures, and chain of custody. Even the law enforcement officers arrest can be challenged. According to Georgia law, you cannot be stopped DUI unless reasonable articulable suspicion exists. If you are driving along, minding your business without breaking any laws, and there is no reason for you to be pulled over, your arrest can be challenged. We will reach out to witnesses, consult with medical experts, and request police video footage to make sure we know exactly what happened. If proven, these arguments can lead to a dismissal of your case or reduced charges.

The Penalty for a DUI Conviction in Commerce

Whether this is your first, second, third, or fourth DUI in Commerce, the consequences are substantial. Even though DUI is generally charged as a misdemeanor, the penalties will affect many aspects of your life. If your case results in a conviction, you can expect the following penalties:

• Probation
• Jail time
• Driver's license suspension
• Hefty fines
• Alcohol or drug treatment

We want you to understand that you do not have to face these consequences! Our Commerce DUI Lawyers will work hard to get your case dismissed or to get the penalties reduced. A charge is not the same as a conviction, and your case can be defended! Contact us now, and we will investigate every detail of your case to ensure you receive the best defense possible.

Commerce Municipal Court

Commerce Municipal Court is responsible for traffic and city ordinance violations that occur within the city limits of Commerce.  Judge Billy Chandler will be the presiding judge, and court is held on the first Tuesday of every month at the Commerce Civic Center at 110 State Street, Commerce, GA 30529.  The Clerk of Court is Mary Beth Ervin.  The phone number for Commerce Municipal Court is 706-335-2533.

Map to Commerce Municipal Court

Call Today and Discover Your Options if Charged with DUI in Commerce

Contacting our experienced Commerce DUI Lawyers about your case will help ease your mind about the DUI process. We promise that you will know what to expect and we will answer all of your questions no matter when you need us. Our office is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week because we value being accessible to our clients. If you were charged with a DUI in Commerce, call us immediately for a free case evaluation.