Georgia DUI Arrest

If you are ever pulled over by an officer who suspects you of driving under the influence (DUI) in the state of Georgia, you can expect to face severe legal consequences if you are convicted of the offense. However, long before your case is heard in court, you’ll experience the fear and stress that goes along with a Georgia DUI arrest—here’s what you need to know about the process.

It is important to know that, due to constitutional protections, a law enforcement officer cannot stop you without probable cause. In other words, you must have actually committed an offense, such as speeding or running a red light, in order for the traffic stop to be legal. 

Assuming there is a valid reason for stopping your vehicle, the officer must then witness something that leads him or her to believe you may be under the influence of alcohol before he or she can legally administer a field sobriety or chemical test. In most cases, this involves observing some of the classic signs of alcohol impairment—such as slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, or the smell of alcohol, for example.

If the officer does indeed have probable cause to suspect you of DUI, you may be asked to perform a series of field sobriety exercises. These highly subjective “tests” require the driver to complete activities like balancing on one foot while counting out loud and/or walking an invisible straight line.

Next, the officer may conduct an onsite breathalyzer to determine whether you should be arrested for DUI. However, because the device used to administer onsite breathalyzers can be extremely unreliable, an official test must be conducted at the police station. Depending on your official breathalyzer test results, you may be charged with driving under the influence and placed in a holding cell until your arraignment.

At the time of your arrangement, a judge will notify you of the charges against you and ask how you plea. If you decide to plead guilty or no contest, you may be sentenced immediately. If you opt to plead not guilty, a future court date will be scheduled.  The judge may also set bail at this time.

Prior to your trial date, you will have the chance to challenge any evidence against you during pre-trial motions. It is important to have legal representation for both of these proceedings, as an experienced DUI defense lawyer will prevent any unconstitutional evidence from being used against you and improve your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome in court.

As one of the most experienced DUI defense attorneys in the state, Greg Willis is well-versed in Georgia DUI law, and he can use this knowledge to challenge your arrest and ensure your rights are protected. To see how Mr. Willis can help you, check out his firm’s ratings on sites like Kudzu and AVVO and learn how he’s helped former clients reduce or eliminate their DUI charges.

To start planning your defense strategy, contact the Law Offices of Greg Willis for a free consultation on your DUI case. If you choose to retain his firm’s services, Mr. Willis will even prepare a license appeal letter for no additional cost; just one flat fee covers both your administrative license suspension hearing and your criminal DUI case. Call now to get started.

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