Peach County DUI Lawyer

Peach County DUI Lawyer – Peach County DUI Attorney

Byron GA DUI Lawyer – Byron GA DUI Attorney

Richard Lawson is a former DUI prosecutor with over 25 years' experience in Georgia DUI Law. His firm, the Law Office of Richard Lawson is a legal firm dedicated to DUI Defense. Please see our reviews on Avvo and contact our office for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Our firm prides on smart, tireless, and zealous advocacy for our clients. We believe that a complete investigation into the circumstances and facts of an arrest for DUI can result in dismissals or a “not guilty” verdicts in cases that, at first glance, seemed hopeless. Although no attorney should ever guarantee a particular outcome of any case, we will aggressively protect your rights in court.

30-Day Warning!

If you were arrested for DUI in Peach County, you should be aware that you must file an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) hearing request within thirty days of your DUI arrest, or your Georgia driver's license will automatically be suspended. The cost to file is $150.

If you refused the State's chemical test of your breath, blood, or urine, your Georgia driver's license will be suspended for one full year, with no chance for a restricted license or early reinstatement. Contact a Peach County DUI Lawyer with the Law Office of Richard Lawson today to discuss your DUI case.

Your DUI Arrest

An arrest for DUI can be a frightening experience. You may feel uncertain about how the arrest process works, and what your rights are. You may be confused as to what to do next. It is a good idea to be familiar with the many stages of a DUI arrest in case you are ever faced with such a situation. Knowing your rights is critical for recognizing if your rights have been violated.

Probable Cause

When a police officer pulls you over, they must have “probable cause,” or reasonable articulable suspicion that you were doing something illegal. The police cannot merely pull you over because they think you look suspicious. The officer can, however, pull you over and request you to take field sobriety tests if you were seen violating a traffic law or showing signs of impairment, such as slow driving or weaving in and out of traffic. Probable cause must also exist to make an arrest and may be due to a failed field sobriety test or breath test.

Impairment Tests

Once you are pulled over, the police officer might ask you to submit to some field sobriety tests, a breath test, or both. There were three standard field sobriety tests: the one-leg stand, the walk-and-turn, and the horizontal gaze nystagmus. These tests are for determining a person's balance and coordination, which is often compared when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Your Right to Refuse Testing and Its Consequences

You have the right to refuse field sobriety and chemical testing. However, you should be aware that there are repercussions of refusing these tests once you have been arrested. Therefore, you should think carefully before deciding. Like many states, Georgia has an “Implied Consent” law. This law states that if you were given driving privileges in Georgia, you have automatically agreed to chemical testing. If you refuse the chemical test, your Georgia license will be suspended for one year. Also, refusing can be used against you in court.

Fighting Your DUI Charges

No doubt about it: DUI is a serious subject. A DUI charge is not merely a minor traffic ticket; it is a misdemeanor criminal charge that can ruin your life. If this is your first arrest for DUI, know that there a lot at stake, and penalties increase for repeat offenders. In addition to those penalties, you could end up paying more for car insurance, or even lose your job. Worst of all, you could end up with a criminal record that will follow you for the rest of your life.

Fortunately, there are many ways to successfully fight your Talbot County DUI charges. Many people in your situation make the grave mistake of giving up by pleading guilty because of evidence that they had been drinking and driving. What most do not realize that it is possible to get the penalties for DUI reduced, or to outright win their case. A Peach County DUI Attorney is standing by to discuss with you the circumstances of your arrest and begin diligently working on a defense strategy to protect your rights and your driving privilege.

DUI Defense Strategies

Many DUI cases can be won by exposing weaknesses in the evidence against you or law enforcement mistakes. For example, if the officer cannot show there was probable cause to stop you and investigate you for DUI, your charges may be dismissed because your Fourth Amendment right against “unreasonable search and seizure” was violated. Also, law enforcement may have made mistakes in administering your field sobriety tests. If you took a breath test, our Peach County DUI Lawyers might be able to prove the results invalid by pointing to factors such as residual mouth alcohol or physical conditions such as acid reflux or diabetes. Blood tests can also be challenged by arguing that the sample may have been contaminated or accidentally labeled with another person's name. There are many ways to approach your case, the key to success is hiring a competent Peach County DUI Attorney as soon as possible after your arrest.

Peach County Court System

In Peach County, where you are arrested determines which court will have jurisdiction over your DUI case. If your misdemeanor DUI arrest occurred in an incorporated city such as Byron or Fort Valley, your case would begin in Byron or Fort Valley Municipal Court. Your Peach County DUI Lawyer will answer each and every question about your case and which court has jurisdiction.

Byron GA Municipal Court

If you were arrested for misdemeanor DUI in Byron GA, you need a Byron GA DUI Lawyer to protect your rights in Byron Municipal Court. Laura A. Hein is the Chief Court Clerk and may be reached by calling (478) 956-2757. The Honorable Laurens C. Lee is the Municipal Court Judge, and Donna J. Culpepper is the Solicitor. Court is held at the Byron Municipal Complex at 401 Main Street, Suite 266, Byron, GA 31008. Call our office today to speak with a DUI Lawyer in Byron GA about your case.

Fort Valley GA Municipal Court

If your misdemeanor DUI arrest occurred in Fort Valley, contact a qualified Fort Valley DUI Lawyer to represent you in Fort Valley Municipal Court.The Honorable Laurens C. Lee is the Municipal Court Judge, and the Chief Court Clerk is Daisy McCrary. She may be reached by calling (478) 825-8261. Court is held at 204 W Church St, Fort Valley, GA 31030. When you need legal representation from a DUI Lawyer in Fort Valley GA, contact the Law Office of Richard Lawson.

Peach County DUI Defense

If you have been arrested for DUI in Peach County, and you are afraid and worried about losing your driving privilege, employment, and freedom, contact the Law Office of Richard Lawson. You have a lot to lose, so why trust your Peach County DUI case to an inexperienced attorney? We have Peach County DUI Attorneys waiting to speak with you about your case right now. Waiting to hire a Peach County DUI Lawyer because you think your charges will magically disappear will not help. Call us sooner, rather than later.

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

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