Do Not Listen to DUI School Gossip

DUI School is only a means to an end.  The instructors and fellow attendees all mean well.  However, I spend several hours a month debunking much of what my clients “learn” while attending DUI School.  

The Teacher:

The instructor is not a practicing attorney and should not be giving legal advice. It is a shame I need to report this problem, but much of what DUI School instructors tell our clients is legally incorrect and potentially harmful.

Even where they provide potentially correct information, it is often out of context insofar as to the judge and prosecutor assigned to my client's case.  The law is not a one-stop-shop.  Context matters.  The court and prosecutor matter in someone's case.  A client's criminal history, or lack thereof, is a major factor in the outcome of a case.  Most importantly, the facts of the case matter more than anything.  A teacher at DUI school, even if well trained, cannot give advice about things to which they know nothing.  In contrast, your Georgia DUI Lawyer is trained to investigate and defend your case.

Fellow Students:

Another potential source of misinformation comes from fellow attendees.  Most people genuinely mean well.  I am certain there is almost a fellowship between those who are forced to attend any court-mandated program.

That being said, when people talk about their case with others, most people assume that everyone is treated the same.  As a result, my clients are confused when people report to them different (and even better) outcomes.

The problem against is when someone has an opinion without context.  Every case is different.  The facts are different.  The judge and prosecutor may be different.  The age and criminal history of the accused can vary widely.  This is why someone else's outcome is irrelevant to another person's potential outcome.  

I once had a court-appointed client charged with aggravated assault.  He allegedly fired a gun at someone and was facing years in jail.  He was very upset at me because a cellmate in jail was also facing the same charge and was offered a plea deal of only six months.

I decided to find out about his cellmate's case to see why the plea offers were so different.  It turned out that his cellmate brandished a knife at someone and made a threat.  My client allegedly shot at someone.

The moral of the story was that even though both parties were charged with the same crime, the facts mattered.  The same is true in Georgia DUI Case.