East Point DUI Lawyer

East Point DUI Lawyer - East Point DUI Attorney

East Point DUI Defense

The Law Office of Richard Lawson is devoted to DUI Defense. Richard Lawson is a former Georgia DUI prosecutor with over 25 years' experience in DUI law. If you have been arrested and charged with DUI in East Point Georgia and need a top-rated East Point DUI Lawyer, look no further. Please see our reviews on Avvo and contact us for a free consultation and case evaluation.

30-Day Warning!

If you have been arrested for DUI in East Point or anywhere in Fulton County, you (or your East Point DUI Attorney) must file a request for an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Hearing or an ignition interlock device within thirty days of your arrest. If you do not do so, your license will automatically be suspended. If you have been accused of refusing the State's test of your breath, blood, or urine, your license will be suspended for one year, with no chance for a permit.

Types of DUI Charges

Depending on circumstances, there are different types of DUI charges. If you are experiencing your first DUI offense, your penalties will be lighter than a second or third DUI offense. However, even consequences for first offenders are quite harsh, and a conviction means you will have a criminal record forever.

What Drivers Need to Know If Stopped by Police

Most motorists who are pulled over by law enforcement do not fully understand their rights. At the Law Office of Richard Lawson, our East Point DUI Lawyers will fight to protect your rights when you have been accused of DUI.

The following may help you avoid a DUI arrest if you are stopped by police in East Point:

Politely refuse to give any information other than your name and address.
If the officer asks you to step out of your vehicle, ask him/her if you are free to leave.
If their answer is “yes,” then leave. If their answer is “no,” you should then ask to speak with an attorney before anything else is said or done.
Do not agree to the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test (eye test).
Do not consent to the breath test. You may experience a longer license suspension than if you take the test. However, you may be able to win your East Point DUI case.
Do not lean against your vehicle or anything else, as the officer is observing your behavior very carefully and can testify in court that you were exhibiting signs of intoxication.
Always be respectful, polite, speak clearly, and produce any documents requested.

Mistakes Drivers Make

Not taking their DUI charge seriously
Failing to hire an attorney
Choosing an attorney solely on price
Failing to Request an ALS hearing
Driving while license is suspended
Failing to appear in court
Talking about their case to everyone but a qualified DUI attorney
Thinking they can get enough information from the Internet or friends/family/other attorneys to handle their case on their own.

Breath Testing

Breath tests are not infallible, but it is one of the methods used to determine whether or not a motorist should be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in Georgia. They are far from perfect; however, they do provide a somewhat indirect measurement of a driver's blood alcohol content (BAC). Many factors, though, may cause an incorrect reading.

An East Point DUI Lawyer, who is experienced in Georgia DUI law, can come up with strategies to challenge your breath test results if you were arrested and charged with DUI in East Point.

When breath test results are used as evidence, our East Point DUI Attorneys can challenge whether or not the breath testing machine was functioning properly, or if the officer was adequately trained to administer the test. If the machine is not maintained or calibrated correctly, it could give an unreliable result. Your DUI Attorney in East Point can look at the maintenance schedule for the machine, as well as usage logs and other records to see if there are irregularities.

A skilled East Point DUI Lawyer could prevent your breath test results from being used against you in court. By keeping unfavorable breath test results from being admitted into evidence, your chances of a favorable outcome are increased.

A Little Breath Testing Device History

Breath-testing devices have been used all over America since the 40s. True, the first ones used were highly inaccurate and crude. Many time police had no idea how to use them, leading to a lot of operator errors. The “Breathalyzer™” was one of the best early devices and was created in the 1950s. It was in use in some states as late as the 1990s.

Law enforcement in Georgia have been using the “Intoxilyzer 5000,” but are moving to the new “Intoxilyzer 9000” by the end of 2015. This device measures the amount of light absorbed in an individual substance. A high concentration absorbs light more light, and therefore, leads to a higher reading. That light absorption is computed into a blood alcohol content (BAC) value. If a person's BAC is greater than .08, they can be arrested for DUI.

All DUI Tests Are Subject to Challenge

No matter the result claimed by the State of Georgia, a seasoned East Point DUI Lawyer may be able to discover a logical explanation as to why the results cannot be trusted as valid.

East Point Municipal Court

East Point Municipal Court is located at 2727 East Point Street, East Point, GA 30344. Mayra DeLeon is the Deputy Clerk of Court, and may be reached by calling (404) 559-6251. The East Point Municipal Court Judges are:

Chief Judge Rashida O. Oliver
Judge Harry J. Bowden
Judge Glen Edward Ashman
Associate Judge Allyson R. Pitts
Associate Judge Timothy A. Bumann

Call (404) 559-6250 for more information.

Map to East Point Municipal Court

Contact an Experienced East Point DUI Attorney

Every DUI case is unique. Whether it is your first, second, or third DUI charge, you should have your rights protected. The East Point DUI Lawyers with the Law Office of Richard Lawson understand there are often extenuating circumstances. Law enforcement may not have followed proper policy and procedure. The police do not have to advise you of the Miranda warning during a traffic stop/DUI investigation; they do have rules and procedures they must follow. Our DUI Lawyers in East Point are experts in those protocols and will investigate their actions to make sure you were treated fairly.

You have a lot to lose. It is crucial that you have an experienced East Point DUI Attorney by your side. Call us today.

Recommendations

DUI WITH HIGH BAC (.112) LOWERED TO RECKLESS DRIVING!

Richard was not the first lawyer I spoke with after my DUI charge, but he was the last when searching for representation. This was my very first time encountering any sort of legal dispute so I had no idea what I was doing and I was very scared. Richard was very friendly, down to earth and consol... Read On
Miracle Worker!

Not only did Richard Lawson and his very capable associate get my DUI reduced to reckless driving with parole, but he did something that I didn't think was possible. I was stopped for a moving violation recently. The police arrested me because they showed my driver's license had been suspended. H... Read On
Ideal attorney for anyone

Mr. Lawson is outstanding. He was professional, attentive to any requests, and got the outcome I wanted but thought was unachievable. I had been arrested for a DUI. The case was very difficult, intricate, and was seemingly without hope, but Mr. Lawson was able to get the charges drastically reduc... Read On

Recent Case Results

This case was in Helen Municipal Court. The client was charged with a DUI and four counts of DUI Child Endangerment. In Georgia, for every child under the age of 14 in a vehicle it is considered a separate DUI offense. The client would have been declared an habitual violator from one arrest an... Read On
Client was charged with a suspended license because he did not reinstate his privilege to drive after the expiration of his restricted license. Per my advice, the client properly reinstated his license the day after he was charged. Case Dismissed in Cobb County State Court. Read On
Client was a resident of New York who was arrested while he was visiting Georgia for pleasure. He was charged with DUI, Reckless Driving, and Speeding 37 MPH over the speed limit. We were able to get the client an unbelievable outcome in Hampton, Georgia. His DUI dismissed, his speeding ticket wa... Read On

East Point DUI Resources

East Point Police Department

Fulton County Police Department

Georgia State Patrol

Administrative Office of the Courts

Georgia Department of Driver Services

Fulton County Solicitor General

Fulton County District Attorney

East Point Public Library

Wikipedia of East Point Georgia