Troup County DUI Lawyer - Troup County DUI Attorney
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Richard Lawson has over 25 years' experience defending Georgians who have been arrested and charged with DUI. He is the top-rated DUI Attorney in the state, according to the attorney rating site Avvo. Check out his reviews and contact our office to speak with an experienced DUI Attorney in Troup County today!
Imagine walking out of jail after your arrest and feeling afraid to think of what to do next. A DUI conviction can alter your life forever, so browse our website to find more information about Georgia DUI Laws, the science behind DUI Defense, and how you can assist your DUI Lawyer in Troup County in finding a strategy to get the best outcome so you can put the pieces of your life back together.
We have focused our practice on DUI law, and will guide you through each step of your case. At the Law Office of Richard Lawson, our mission is to help you solve your legal problems. We know your Troup County DUI case is important, and, therefore, important to us. We know you worry about the possible outcome. Although your case may not be our only case, hopefully, your Troup County DUI case will be the only one you ever have. That being said, we treat each and every client as if they were our only case.
Our team of Troup County DUI Attorneys want to help you. Whether it is a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), or DUI Drugs, or any other DUI-related offense, all of our LaGrange DUI Lawyers are fierce advocates who are eager to tell your side of the story to the judge or jury in court. Often, this task is difficult, stress-inducing, and complicated. But for our LaGrange DUI Attorneys, it is more than business. It is an opportunity to rise to a legal challenge; the reason we became lawyers in the first place.
30-Day Warning
If you have been arrested for DUI in Georgia, you have only thirty days to protect your driver's license by filing a request for an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Hearing or an ignition interlock device. The fee the State assesses for this hearing request is $150. If you refused the State's test of your blood, breath, or urine, your license will be suspended for twelve months with no possibility of a permit to drive. An experienced Troup County DUI Lawyer can handle the hearing request for you, but time is running out!
LaGrange DUI Lawyers
Drinking and driving is one of the most prosecuted crimes in the State of Georgia. There are two ways a person can be prosecuted: having a blood, breath, or urine content above a lawful level, and to convince a judge or jury that there is strong, visible evidence of driving impairment. Impaired driving is considered driving with considerably less capability than a typical driver, because of the consumption of alcohol or drugs. If you have been charged with DUI in Troup County, there are many issues to consider. You should most certainly consult with a LaGrange DUI Attorney who knows the substantive laws, the science behind your body's consumption of alcohol, as well as the science behind the State's chemical tests.
Know Your Rights
The Law Office of Richard Lawson is Georgia's premier DUI Defense firm. DUI charges in Georgia can be traumatic. Our Troup County DUI Lawyers' expertise in DUI Defense is matched by an impassioned awareness of the emotional toll that a good person feels when they are put in an awful position. Every care is taken to be sure your Troup County DUI case is handled with legal expertise and attention to detail. Every element of your case will be scrutinized so that you will be provided all the advantages that Georgia law provides to someone charged with DUI.
Knowing your rights is crucial to understanding the particulars of your situation. There are legal policies that can protect you and our Troup County DUI Attorneys are here to assist you in discovering them.
- Was your stop legal? If your stop was found to be illegal, the law could keep that evidence from being used against you in court.
- Were the field sobriety tests performed in accordance with standard procedure? Our experience over the years has revealed that often, DUI suspects do more to pass field sobriety tests than fail them and are held to preposterous standards by law enforcement.
Is Driving Under the Influence Always Alcohol-Related?
The consequences of driving while under the influence in Georgia are harsh. Even if you are later found innocent, you will still have to pay court costs, lawyer fees, and deal with the stress the whole ordeal caused. However, many people think that DUI only means that you are under the influence of alcohol. DUI includes any controlled substance that can negatively impact your ability to drive safely.
Alcohol-Related DUI
In Georgia, if you are found to be operating a motor vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) of .08 or more, you can be convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. That limit would apply no matter if you were pulled over for suspicious driving or some other reason. For example, law enforcement may ask you to submit to a roadside breath test after stopping you for some unrelated reason, such as having a tail light out.
You might be surprised to find out that you can be convicted of driving under the influence at a lower blood alcohol content if you are stopped by police for erratic driving; driving well under the speed limit; speeding; failing to maintain your lane; sudden stops; or not following traffic signs/signals. While your blood alcohol content may not be over the “legal limit,” police will say that your driving was nonetheless impaired by your consumption of alcohol.
Georgia has zero-tolerance for alcohol consumption for drivers under the age of 21. If you are a driver under 21 years of age, you are not allowed to operate a motor vehicle with any amount of alcohol in your system. Drivers under 21 who have been found to have a BAC of .02 or greater, are considered to be DUI. Underage drinkers can also have their license suspended, even if they are not driving (Minor in Possession of Alcohol).
DUI-Drugs
Although alcohol-related DUIs are most common, the punishments for driving under the influence of drugs are as harsh. Known also as DUI-Drugs or drugged driving, any driver in Georgia is considered guilty of driving under the influence if he or she operates a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs, both legal and contraband.
It is good to note here that the metabolite of a controlled substance could be in your system even though you were not under the influence of said drug. That is the reason there is a particular threshold for the concentration of drug-related metabolites before the test can be used against you. Some drugs remain in your system longer than others, and that fact can be used to argue whether certain metabolites affected your driving at the time you were arrested.
DUI-Drugs charges often arise when the breath test does not register over the “legal limit” of .08, but the officer suspects the driver to be under the influence of some other substance other than alcohol. Some law enforcement agencies in Georgia even have Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) who participate in DUI-Drugs investigations. DREs are trained to look for evidence of drug use, including, but not limited to:
- Higher blood pressure
- Pulse Rate
- Pupils Dilated
- Needle/Injection marks; and
- Any other evidence of drug use
Just like alcohol-related DUI, drug-related DUI is susceptible to incorrect readings, and may be supported only by circumstantial evidence. Depending on the circumstances and facts of your unique arrest, there may be many defenses available to you to have your charges reduced, or even dismissed completely. An experienced DUI Lawyer in Troup County will advise you on the best way to proceed with your DUI case.
TROUP COUNTY COURT INFORMATION
In Troup County, DUI cases may be heard in many different courts such as municipal, state and superior. It is imperative to hire a Troup County DUI Attorney who understands Georgia's maze-like court system. Our DUI Lawyers in Troup County know the judges, prosecutors, clerks, and in some cases, the officer who arrested you.
Hogansville Municipal Court
If your misdemeanor DUI arrest occurred in the City of Hogansville, you need a skilled Hogansville DUI Lawyer to defend your case in Hogansville Municipal Court. The Honorable James G. Baker is the Municipal Court Judge, and Michelle Toth is the Chief Clerk. Court is held at 117 Lincoln Street, Hogansville, Georgia 30230. The contact number for Municipal Court is (706) 637-8616.
Contact The Law Office of Richard Lawson to speak with a DUI Lawyer in Hogansville today!
LaGrange Municipal Court
If you were arrested for misdemeanor DUI within LaGrange city limits, your case needs a LaGrange DUI Lawyer right away. The Municipal Court Judge is the Honorable David Alan Fowler, and the Court Clerks are Marisa G. Brand and Ana Soler. Court is held at 208 Ridley Avenue, LaGrange, Georgia 30241. Call (706) 883-2026 for more information. Finding a reputable DUI Lawyer in LaGrange GA is easy! Call The Law Office of Richard Lawson today!
West Point Municipal Court
Misdemeanor DUI arrests that occur in the City of West Point will require a West Point DUI Lawyer to represent you in West Point Municipal Court. The Honorable Wesley Leonard is the Associate Municipal Court Judge, and the Honorable Kenneth D. Rearden is the Judge Pro Tem. Court is held at 730 1st Avenue. West Point, Georgia 31833. Call (706) 645-3512 for further information. Call The Law Office of Richard Lawson to speak with a DUI Lawyer in West Point today!
Troup County State Court
If your misdemeanor DUI arrest occurred in an unincorporated area of Troup County, or if you would like a jury trial, your case would be heard in Troup County State Court. The Honorable Jeannette L. Little is the Municipal Court Judge, and Jackie Taylor is the Clerk of Court. The Troup County Solicitor General is Nina Markette Baker. Court is held at 100 Ridley Avenue, LaGrange, Georgia 30240. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM until 5 PM. Call (706) 883-1726 for more information.
Troup County Superior Court
Superior Court handles all felony DUI cases. Troup County is part of the Coweta Judicial Circuit, along with Coweta, Heard, and Meriwether counties. Court is held at 100 Ridley Avenue, LaGrange, Georgia 30240. There are six judges who hear felony cases:
Quillian Baldwin, Jr., Chief Judge
Troup County
P.O. Box 1364
LaGrange, GA 30241
Phone: (706) 883-1633
Fax: (706) 298-3706
Bill Hamrick
Coweta County
P.O. Box 338
Carrollton, GA 30112
Phone: (678) 390-6236
Fax: (678) 390-6237
Dennis Blackmon
Carroll County
P.O. Box 338
Carrollton, GA 30112
Phone: (770) 830-5871
Fax: (770) 830—5996
Emory Palmer
Coweta County
72 Greenville St., Suite 3047
Newnan, GA 30240
Phone: (770) 683-0491
Fax: (770) 683-0492
Jack Kirby
Troup County Government Center
100 Ridley Avenue
LaGrange, GA 30240
Phone: (706) 298-3626
Fax: (888) 383-5803
John T. Simpson
Carroll County
P.O. Box 338
Carrollton, GA 30112
Phone: (770) 830-5855
Fax: (770) 830-5857
The Chief Prosecuting Officer for Superior Court is the District Attorney's Office. The District Attorney for Troup County is Peter J. Skandalakis. His contact information is:
Peter J. Skandalakis, District Attorney
Coweta Judicial Circuit
100 Ridley Ave., Suite 3500
LaGrange, Georgia, 30240
(706) 298-3708
DUI Legal Defense
Being arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious offense. In addition to paying hefty fines, you could go to jail, lose your driver's license, have to perform community service, and more. If you or someone close to you has been arrested for DUI, contact The Law Office of Richard Lawson today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Our Attorneys
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Richard Lawson
Managing Partner at Lawson & Berry:
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Kimberly A. Berry
Partner at Lawson & Berry:
Troup County DUI Resources
City of LaGrange, Georgia Police
Administrative Office of the Courts
