Union County GA DUI Lawyer

Union County GA DUI Lawyer - Union County GA DUI Attorney

Blairsville DUI Lawyer – Blairsville DUI Attorney

Protecting Your Interests While Protecting Your Rights

The Law Office of Richard Lawson are a results-oriented, DUI Defense specialty law firm. We exclusively handle DUI and DUI-related cases for our clients. Our founder, Richard Lawson, began his legal career here, in Union County, prosecuting DUI cases for the State of Georgia. He now uses that knowledge, coupled with over 25 years of experience, to defend those arrested and charged with DUI in Union County GA, and throughout the state.

Please see his Avvo reviews and contact our office for a free evaluation of your Union County GA DUI case.

DUI Defense in Union County Georgia

If you are arrested and charged with DUI of alcohol or drugs in Blairsville, or elsewhere in Union County Georgia, you will need a skilled Union County GA DUI Lawyer. You will have to face one of the courts concerning your case. Do not make the mistake of going it alone.

If you were arrested for DUI in Union County Georgia or the City of Blairsville, you have encountered a law enforcement officer who knows the procedures to follow in a DUI arrest. They have collected evidence against you and have turned it over to the State for prosecution. Now, you are likely to face a young, skilled, and motivated prosecutor who would love to find you guilty and take away your driving privilege for a long time. Do not forget the possible jail or prison time you could face if it is your second or third DUI. These circumstances can destroy your life, livelihood, and very freedom.

What you need is an experienced and motivated Union County GA DUI Attorney like those we have at the Law Office of Richard Lawson. Our Union County Georgia DUI Lawyers will obtain the video of your traffic stop/arrest, go over it with a fine-toothed comb, and look at field sobriety testing procedures as well as the actions and behavior of the arresting officer. There are times that our Union County Georgia DUI Attorneys will find an issue with the reason police stopped you. Sometimes there are issues with the field sobriety tests, officer training, and breath tests. Next thing you know, the case against you looks weaker and weaker. Your case could end up being dismissed, or your charge could be reduced to a lesser charge. If your case happens to go to trial, our Union County GA DUI Lawyers will bring in experts and skill to show the evidence against you is more consistent with a “not guilty” verdict.

DUI Arrest and Conviction Consequences

Georgia DUI Law has harsh penalties regarding driver's license suspension and criminal punishments. There are two consequences of a DUI conviction. First, the effect on a person's driver's privilege; and secondly, possible criminal penalties. These are severe consequences, and Georgia DUI Laws are stacked against you. If you have been arrested and charged with DUI, you have every reason to be worried. However, you have every reason to hope and be encouraged, as it is our job to eliminate or at the very least, get you the best outcome possible.

30-Day Warning!

If you have been arrested for DUI in Blairsville, or anywhere in Union County GA, you have only thirty days to keep your license from being suspended.You (or your Union County Georgia DUI Attorney) need to file an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Hearing request or install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle. The cost to file for the hearing is $150. If you do not request an ALS Hearing or install the interlock device, your license will be suspended. If you refused the State's chemical test, your license would be suspended for one year, with no opportunity for a permit.

There are plenty of wonderful police officers in this country who do not lie and are honest. However, due to political pressure, overzealousness, or other factors, some are using aggressive (and sometimes dishonest) techniques. Some of their techniques come dangerously close to shading the truth just to make DUI arrests. Drivers who are unimpaired need to be aware of these sorts of traps. Since every case is unique, the Your Rights column is not to be considered the legal advice of a Union County GA DUI Lawyer.

Ten DUI Law Enforcement Lies/Untruths

The Lie	The Truth	Your Rights
"I stopped you because you weaved over the center line or shoulder of the road.”	“Even though I know I cannot stop you for merely crossing the line, I did anyway, and now I want to see if I can detect alcohol use.”	Say nothing
“Where are you going?”	“I bet you're coming from a bar or club, aren't you? Talk to me, so I can see if your speech is slurred.”	Say nothing
“How much alcohol have you consumed this evening?”	“I know you're only going to say you had two drinks now, but later you will say it was more.”	Say nothing
“Will you walk back to my car? I'm just going to give you a warning, and let you leave ASAP.”	“While you are sitting in my car, I will be able to testify that you smelled of alcohol. Also, I want to intimidate you so you will give me the information I need to arrest you.”	“I do not want to get into your car. Am I being ordered to do so? Am I under arrest? If not, am I free to leave?”
“Do you have any problem with your eyes or vision? Are you able to follow my finger while your arms are at your side and keeping your head straight?”	“I am going to perform the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test on you. I am trained to administer this “scientific” test to look for the clues needed to arrest you.”	“I respectfully refuse to perform that test.”
“May I ask you to perform some tests quickly so you can be on your way?”	“I am going to ask you to do some tests that even acrobats would fail. Even if you do them well, I will score you harshly by counting every detail against you. I will then arrest you for DUI.”	“I respectfully decline to perform any tests.”
“Now just take a deep breath and blow into this little tube….”	“This is the AlcoSensor, a portable breath instrument (PBT). You have a right not to blow into it, but I am not going to inform you of that right. Even though it cannot be used in court, I can use it to prove there is probable cause to arrest you.”	“No thanks, I respectfully decline to blow into the little tube.”
“You have the right to remain silent….”	“I am saying this calmly, and in an almost apologetic tone to get you to let down your guard. Then, I will ask you more questions in attempt to get you to incriminate yourself further.”	It is your constitutional right to remain silent…USE IT!
“I am now going to read you Georgia's long and confusing Implied Consent Warning, just to make sure you know your license will be suspended if you refuse the State's chemical test.”	“It is not against the law to refuse chemical testing of your breath or blood. However, your license will be suspended. If you consent, the test will be the evidence needed to convict you.”	“I respectfully refuse to take the test.” *Refusing the test is not a “right,” however, the penalty for refusing the test is not against the law.
“You probably do not need an attorney. You have been cooperative, and I will tell that to the prosecutor.”	“I do not really want to go to court and have to answer to anything I may have done incorrectly, so just confess and make it easy on me.”	You have a constitutional right to have an attorney represent you in a court of law. EXERCISE IT!

*The prosecutor will say that you refused the test because you knew you were guilty. Your DUI Attorney in Union County Georgia can argue that you were only exercising your rights, you knew you were not guilty, and did not need the test of an electronic gadget to prove it.

The Union County GA Court System

Blairsville Municipal Court

Where you were arrested for misdemeanor DUI determines which court would have jurisdiction over your case. If you were arrested in the City of Blairsville, you should begin looking for a DUI Lawyer in Blairsville right away to represent you in Blairsville Municipal Court. The Honorable Robert Sneed is the Municipal Court Judge, and Cindy Neely is the Chief Clerk. Court is held the second Monday of each month at the Union County Historical Courthouse at 65 Courthouse Street, Blairsville, Georgia 30512. Call the Law Office of Richard Lawson to speak with a Blairsville DUI Lawyer as soon as possible to get your defense underway.

Union County Georgia Probate Court

If you were arrested in an unincorporated area of Union County Georgia, your case would be heard in Union County GA Probate Court. The Honorable Dwain Brackett is the probate Court Judge, and Kristin Stanley is the Chief Clerk. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM until 4:30 PM. Court is held at the Union County Courthouse at 65 Courthouse Street, Suite 8, Blairsville, Georgia 30512. Call (706) 439-6006 for more information, and call the Law Office of Richard Lawson when you need a DUI Attorney in Union County GA.

Union County Superior Court

Superior Court handles all felony cases. Judy Odom is the Clerk of Superior Court and may be reached by calling (706) 439-6022. Court is held at 65 Courthouse Street, Blairsville, Georgia 30512. Call us now to speak with a Blairsville DUI Attorney regarding your case.

Union County Georgia Superior Court is part of the Enotah Judicial Circuit along with Lumpkin, Towns, and White counties. There are three judges who preside over cases:

Murphy C. Miller, Chief Judge
65 Courthouse Street, Box 2
Blairsville, GA 30512-3004
(706) 439-6100

N. Stanley Gunter, Superior Court Judge
65 Courthouse Street, Box 2
Blairsville, GA 30512-3004
(706) 865-6135

Raymond E. George, Superior Court Judge
Enotah Justice Center
325 Riley Rd, Room 208
Dahlonega, GA 30597
(706) 867-8002

The Chief Prosecuting Officer for Union County Superior Court is the District Attorney's Office. The District Attorney for Union County is Jeff Langley. His contact information is as follows:

Jeff Langley, District Attorney
Union County Superior Court
99 Courthouse Hill, Suite H
Dahlonega, GA 30533
(706) 864-6754

Our Commitment To You

The Law Office of Richard Lawson makes these commitments to our clients:

We take every case seriously;
We believe and trust our clients;
We will work tirelessly to resolve each case favorably by thorough investigation and professional care; and
We will return client phone calls and emails as quickly as possible

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by choosing the best DUI Attorney in Blairsville. Call our office for a free consultation with a DUI Lawyer in Union County GA 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