Spalding County DUI Lawyer

Spalding County DUI Lawyer – Spalding County DUI Attorney

Devoted to DUI Defense

A DUI conviction can negatively affect your life as well as your future. No one wants to spend time in jail, lose their driving privilege, pay hefty fines, or pay more for car insurance. You need to hire a knowledgeable and aggressive DUI Lawyer in Spalding County to assist you with your DUI-related case. Pleading guilty might seem like the less expensive way to handle your DUI. However, there are long-term consequences that are far-reaching. You should discuss all your options carefully with a DUI Attorney in Spalding County as soon as possible.

The Law Office of Richard Lawson is a law firm that specializes in DUI Defense. Our founder, Richard Lawson, is a former Georgia prosecutor and, therefore, knows the nuances of Georgia law that surrounds this complex practice area. He has successfully represented thousands of individuals arrested throughout the state. If you are in need of an experienced and competent DUI Attorney in Spalding County, look no further. Check out his stellar reviews on Avvo and you will see why he is the top-rated DUI lawyer in Georgia. Contact us today for your best defense.

30-Day Warning

If you have been arrested for DUI in Spalding County, Georgia, you have only thirty days to save your driving privilege. Your Spalding County DUI Lawyer will need to file a letter requesting an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Hearing or an ignition interlock device. The cost for the hearing request is $150. Without the hearing or interlock device, your license will be suspended automatically. If you refused the testing of your breath, blood or urine, your license would be suspended for one year with no permit to drive.

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR DUI CASE

What evidence do police have against me?

If you have been arrested for DUI, the chances are that most, if not all, of the evidence against you, will come from the arresting officer. Typically, the evidence the officer testifies to in court will include:

Details about your driving (whether you were speeding, weaving, or making an improper turn, etc.)
Details of an accident, if any
Details about how you looked, talked, smelled, etc.
Details about how you did on performing field sobriety tests
Details about your blood alcohol test
The officer's opinion of you and what happened

It is crucial when defending DUI cases to discredit all of the police evidence against you. First of all, your initial stop must be examined. Was there a legal reason for stopping you? Were you involved in an accident?

Next, we need to look at the roadside investigation. What was the reason you were asked to step out of your vehicle? Were your field sobriety tests accurately administered? Did the officer note any physical observations? Did they use those physical observations to arrest you for DUI?

Which chemical test were you offered and where was if offered to you? How long were you in custody before it was given? Was Georgia's Implied Consent Warning read to you? Did you refuse the test altogether? Was it really a refusal? If you took a breath test, was the machine operating correctly and was the test done by someone trained to do so? If you took a blood test, was the sample appropriately tested? How was it stored?

These are some examples of inquiries that should be made into the evidence against you in an attempt to convict you of a DUI in Spalding County.

I'm going to plead guilty, so why do I need an attorney?

The biggest mistake someone could make is just to plead guilty to a DUI charge. Without a skilled Spalding County DUI Lawyer assisting you, you are waiving your right to be represented in court, and just accepting whatever punishments may come. That is a grievous error that can adversely affect your employment, education, professional license, auto insurance, and ability to travel, to name a few. A qualified Spalding County DUI Attorney is crucial in providing the effective legal representation you need.

What should I look for in choosing a reputable DUI attorney?

There are close to 30,000 attorneys in the state of Georgia, but only a quarter of them focus on criminal defense. Even fewer of them focus on DUI and DUI-related offenses. One would be wrong to assume all attorneys are qualified to represent a client accused of DUI. One of the biggest errors an individual arrested for DUI in Spalding County can make choosing not to seek the legal advice of experienced Spalding County DUI Lawyers with The Law Office of Richard Lawson.

Some things to consider when looking for legal representation for DUI:

At the very least, your attorney should have a practice devoted to criminal defense. A lawyer who seldomly handles criminal cases is at a significant disadvantage in providing effective legal defense.
Your attorney should have significant trial experience. Experience as a state prosecutor or public defender is a definite advantage in defending a DUI charge.
Your attorney should have extensive knowledge of law enforcement techniques such as field sobriety tests, breath tests, other police procedure. This type of knowledge is practical and can only come through the experience of former prosecutors or police officers.
Your attorney should have time, attention and resources available to devote to your DUI case. That includes resources such as forensic experts and accident reconstructionists.

How much will a good attorney cost?

If you are a defendant in a DUI case, never select an attorney based solely on cost. The most expensive lawyer just may not be the best, nor will the cheapest attorney provide the best defense for less money. Each DUI case is unique and must be determined on the facts of Georgia DUI law. DUI cases are complicated and need Spalding County DUI Lawyers who understand the science involved as well as the legal process. The legal issues involved have a broad range and include Constitutional law, search and seizure, administrative law, and due process. These issues converge in a DUI case with the science of chemistry, physics, anatomy, pharmacology, and toxicology. That is why DUI Defense requires a Spalding County DUI Attorney, who is skilled and knowledgeable to provide you effective legal representation.

That said, attorney's fees depend on things such as:

Whether the potential client has prior convictions for DUI within the last five years, or if the current offense is the second, third, or fourth offense.
Whether the potential client is currently on probation for a previous conviction for DUI.
The defendant's blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of arrest.
If the potential client holds a commercial driver's license (CDL).
Other professional licenses that require notification of a DUI conviction to a Georgia state licensing board are medical doctors, registered nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, to name a few.
Whether the DUI arrest was the result of an accident and if said accident had injuries suffered by any party.
Whether drugs were found when arrested.
Did the potential client attempt to flee and elude law enforcement?
Are there other, underlying serious charges?

Can your firm guarantee an acquittal?

No attorney can guarantee a particular outcome in any case, and it is misleading, unethical and violates Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct. Every DUI case is unique and fact specific. Your DUI Lawyer in Spalding County must apply the law to those facts and represent you as well as possible within the confines of the law.

SPALDING COUNTY COURT INFORMATION

If you are arrested for DUI within the city limits of an incorporated city, your case would be heard in that city's municipal court.

Griffin Municipal Court

Griffin Municipal Court is Spalding County's only municipal court. If you were arrested for misdemeanor DUI within the City of Griffin, you need a Griffin DUI Lawyer to protect your rights. The staff of Griffin Municipal Court includes:

Judge William G. Johnston
City Solicitor Jessica O'Connor
Assistant Solicitor Elizabeth Pool
Chief Court Clerk Yolanda Walker
Assistant Court Clerk Melissa Brock

Griffin Municipal Court is held every Thursday at 8 AM at 100 South Street, Griffin, Georgia 30223. No cell phones, shorts, low-cut dresses, hats, or sunglasses are allowed in the courtroom. For more information call (770) 229-6450 or (770 229-6403.

Contact our office and speak with a DUI Attorney in Griffin today!

Spalding County State Court

If you were arrested in East Griffin, Experiment, Orchard Hill, Sunny Side, or any unincorporated area of Spalding County, or if you were arrested in Griffin and would like a jury trial, your case would be heard in Spalding State Court. Sidney R. Esary is the State Court Judge. Spalding County State Court is held at the Spalding County Courthouse at 132 E. Solomon Street, Griffin, Georgia 30223. Office hours are Monday through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM. Call (770) 467-4474 for more information.

Spalding County Superior Court

The Superior Court of Spalding County handles all felony DUI cases. Marcia L. Norris is the Clerk of Court, and her office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Court is held at the Spalding County Courthouse at 132 East Solomon Street, Griffin, Georgia 30223.

Spalding County Superior Court has four judges who hear felony cases:

Honorable Tommy R. Hankinson
Spalding County Courthouse
Post Office Box 1527
Griffin, GA 30224
Office: (770) 467-4329
Fax: (770) 467-4333

Honorable Christopher Edwards
Fayette County Justice Center
1 Center Drive
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Office: (770) 716-4275
Fax: (770) 716-4861

Honorable Robert M. Crawford
Pike County Courthouse
P. O. Box 1187
Zebulon, GA 30295
Office: (770) 567-2012
Fax: (706) 646-2527

Honorable W. Fletcher Sams
Fayette County Justice Center
1 Center Drive
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Office: (770) 716-4282
Fax: (770) 716-4862

The Chief Prosecuting Officer for Spalding Superior Court is the District Attorney's Office. The District Attorney for Spalding County is Scott Ballard. His office is in the Spalding County Courthouse located at 132 East Solomon Street, Griffin, Georgia 30223. Call (770) 467-4310 for further information.

Expert DUI Defense

We have Spalding County DUI Attorneys available to take your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even holidays! Your case will not resolve itself. The longer you wait to speak to qualified Spalding County DUI Lawyers, your chances of success greatly decrease. Call now!

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