Senoia DUI Lawyer – Senoia DUI Attorney
Richard Lawson is a former DUI prosecutor with over 25 years' experience in Georgia DUI law. His law firm, the Law Office of Richard Lawson, has a team of Senoia DUI Lawyers who are waiting to take your call to discuss your case and your options. Please see our reviews on Avvo and contact us for a free no-obligation consultation.
30-Day Warning!
If you have been arrested for DUI in Senoia, or elsewhere in Coweta County, you should be aware that you only have thirty days to save your Georgia driver's license from automatic suspension. To avoid a license suspension, you (or your Senoia DUI Attorney) must file a request for an Administrative License Suspension hearing. If a hearing or ignition interlock device is not requested, your license will be suspended.
If you refused the State's chemical test of your breath, blood, or urine, your Georgia driver's license will be suspended for one year, with no chance of a restricted permit or early reinstatement. Contact a Senoia DUI Lawyer with the Law Office of Richard Lawson today to discuss your Senoia DUI case.
Georgia DUI Law
It is illegal to drive (or operate) a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. However, it is not illegal to drive after consuming a small amount of alcohol. Georgia DUI law defines the difference between the two. Whether you are actually under the influence, or within acceptable boundaries is determined by two different DUI statutes; one being “under the influence” to the point that you are impaired to drive to a considerable degree. The other is having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or more while operating a motor vehicle. Merely having some presence of alcohol on your system does not automatically make you guilty of DUI.
There are two laws a prosecutor can use against you to convict you of driving under the influence. As mentioned, the first law requires the prosecution to find you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt that you were driving while impaired by alcohol to a substantial degree. The second law, called “DUI Per Se,” requires a conviction that you were guilty beyond a reasonable doubt with a BAC of 0.08 or more while operating a motor vehicle.
DUI Defense involves looking carefully at your DUI charge with skepticism. Each and every piece of evidence is subject to errors by human or machine. When the evidence is laid out, pulled apart and studied for such mistakes, it could be discovered that you were, in fact, not legally under the influence. “Impairment” can sometimes just be a matter of opinion, and in DUI, an officer's opinion goes a long way with a jury.
Your Senoia DUI Attorney will need to challenge the sometimes mistaken law enforcement officer. Like all of us, officers are only human and are capable of mistakes in determining whether you were drunk. Also like all of us, police officers do not like to be wrong; they are expert trial witnesses who know what questions to expect Senoia DUI Lawyers to ask them. A seasoned Senoia DUI Attorney knows this and prepares (and acts) accordingly. Our Senoia DUI Lawyers will have the experience necessary to anticipate how the arresting officer will testify against you and respond to their questions. They will also know how the prosecution will present evidence against you in court.
Evidence, such as blood alcohol content is subject to error by human and machine. The breath-testing machine you used many have been giving inaccurate readings, or the officer did not follow procedures to ensure test accuracy. A good DUI Lawyer in Senoia should never assume any test results was accurate.
For the reasons stated above, whether or not you are guilty under Georgia law rests on evidence that must be carefully analyzed before you enter a guilty plea in any DUI case. The possible penalties are too severe to ignore the possibility that evidence against you could be wrong.
Senoia DUI Help
If you are pulled over by police and charged with DUI, there are some things you should know:
- Do Not Speak to the Officer. Getting pulled over is intimidating, and you might be afraid not to answer their questions. However, remember you have a constitutional right to remain silent. That means if you do not say anything to police, the prosecution could not tell that to a jury. The best way to handle a traffic stop is to hand silently over your identification and insurance over to the officer when requested to do so.
- Respectfully Decline to Take a Roadside Breath Test. Law enforcement will not take the time to arrest you and bring you to the police station unless they are pretty confident you will be over the legal limit. That is why they want you to take the “PBT” while on the side of the road during your traffic stop. The results of a bad test will not be mentioned in court if it does not exist (if you refuse).
- Respectfully Decline to Perform Field Sobriety Tests. It is almost sure that law enforcement will say you failed these tests. If is has gotten to the point that police have asked you to exit your vehicle, is is likely that you were going to be arrested anyway. What officers do not tell you is that field sobriety tests are voluntary. Performing them will only give the State more evidence against you.
- Always Be Respectful to Law Enforcement. It is best to remain silent to avoid incriminating oneself; however, whether you speak to police officers or not, always be respectful. Being aggressive or impolite will only look bad later on in court. Also, the prosecutor could tell the jury you were acting out and were difficult as a result of being drunk and having impaired judgment.
- Call the Law Office of Richard Lawson for a Free Consultation. Our Senoia DUI Attorneys will answer any questions you may have about your Senoia DUI case or Georgia DUI Law.
Senoia Municipal Court
Senoia Municipal Court is held at the Senoia Municipal Court building at 505 Howard Road, Senoia, GA 30276. Court is held Thursdays at 9 AM. The Honorable Sharon Pierce is the Municipal Court Judge, and Alyson Leveillard is the Chief Clerk. Call (770) 599-3256 for more information.
Map to Senoia Municipal Court
Protecting Your Rights and Future
If you have been arrested for DUI in Senoia, you already know the stakes are high. Why choose a just any lawyer to handle your Senoia DUI case when you can have a DUI expert (and former DUI prosecutor)? Protecting your rights, helping you get your life back on track, and providing unparalleled customer service are our primary goals. Our reviews speak for themselves. Contact the Law Office of Richard Lawson right away and let us get started on your best defense!
Senoia DUI Resources
Coweta County Sheriff's Department
Administrative Office of the Courts
District Attorney of Coweta County
