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In 1969 Bubba Head, future Athens, GA DUI lawyer, left Columbus, GA to start college at the University of Georgia. His sister, Patsy, was already at UGA in her junior year by then. Columbus High School had prepared both Muscogee Countians for the academic rigors of UGA.
Bubba lived in Reed Hall, East Basement for his freshman year. His oldest daughter, Lauren, also attended UGA and graduated with a double major (psychology and biology) with highest honors in 2016, before beginning medical school in Ohio.
After graduating with honors as a history major, Bubba entered the University of Georgia School of Law, graduating 3 years later in 1976. He became the best-known Athens DUI lawyer after opening his law office in Athens-Clarke County, making local news on several cases and national news on one Athens DUI. Mr. Head selected to stay in Athens because the Classic City was a city like no other in Georgia.
Over the many years, he was practicing criminal defense primarily, although his law practice was more general in Athens than it is now. When in Athens, he was involved in renovating numerous downtown structures and won awards for historic renovation. In the 1980s, he practiced with two Athens attorneys who later became judges. There is not an Athens, GA DUI lawyer with more history in Athens than Bubba Head, who is widely known for his sound legal advice.
From his Prince Avenue office, Mr. Head handled his first client charged with an Athens DUI case in January of 1977 and still is handling drunk driving arrests for Athens-Clarke County and the surrounding counties in 2017. His most recent DUI case (a DUI with child in car case) was finished a few weeks ago in Oglethorpe County Probate Court and has both felony DUI and misdemeanor DUI cases pending in Athens – Clarke County currently.
In 1991 Bubba moved his principal criminal law office in Athens, Georgia after learning that 41% of all Georgia DUI arrests took place in the four metro Atlanta counties (Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett). Bubba moved the main office of his DUI law firm to Atlanta, but always kept a presence in Athens, GA. That same year, he co-authored his first drunk driving book 101 Ways to Avoid a Drunk Driving Conviction with Reese I. Joye, Jr., the best DUI lawyer in South Carolina who passed away in 2008.
Today, William C. Head, a/k/a “Bubba” is the best-known DUI attorney in America. He has been a member of the Georgia Bar for over 43 years, and a Life Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers for over two decades. He has won more awards and legal industry practice excellence recognitions for drunk driving defense than any other DUI attorney in America. Since that first DUI book in 1991, he has added a dozen drunk driving books plus has written chapters in multiple other books.
The University of Georgia is like a giant corporation, with tens of thousands of people associated with UGA. As a nationally-ranked sports center, major sporting events typically bring in extra police officers for Athens DUI enforcement, such as the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) Nighthawks Unit.
In the past decade, the rollout of ridesharing services has dramatically reduced the number of DUI arrests in Athens GA, but (for a city of about 125,000) it still has over 480 drunk driving or drugged driving arrests annually, and some arrests involve DUI felony charges like vehicle homicide or serious bodily injury by DUI.
Each of these DUI-related felony DUI accident cases has a potential prison sentence of 15 years per injury or death. In an average year, 3 to 5 such complex cases occur, and most involve college students.
Most of the DUI-alcohol and DUI-drug cases in the Athens GA courts are—in some ways—associated with the University of Georgia, the largest employer in the county. Of the nearly 40 state universities in Georgia, the University of Georgia traditionally has more DUI arrests each year than all other GA colleges combined. The recent Elliott v. State case arose out of Athens-Clarke County State Court and changed Georgia law on breath alcohol tests.
Most misdemeanor DUI cases originate in the Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court, but State Court of Clarke County is where a jury trial can be obtained, and not Athens Municipal Court. That is why driving under the influence cases are the most commonly litigated cases in Athens-Clarke County State Court, and not in the Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court.
Most negotiated pleas occur in the Municipal Court because most DUI attorneys in Athens GA are not known for fighting cases at a jury trial. Call Bubba Head if you want an Athens, GA DUI lawyer who is not afraid to fight for you to obtain the best outcome in your case.
Our Athens, GA DUI attorneys have handled DUI cases and criminal cases (typically misdemeanors) in most of these courts, and felony cases in the Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, as well as in the following nearby courts located outside of Athens, GA. Here is a list of courts which are part of the greater Athens, GA market area:
Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court
Athens-Clarke County State Court
Athens-Clarke County Superior Court
Athens-Clarke County Magistrate Court
Barrow County Superior Court
Barrow County Probate Court
Barrow County Magistrate Court
Jackson County Superior Court
Jackson County State Court
Jackson County Magistrate Court
Madison County Superior Court
Madison County Probate Court
Madison County Magistrate Court
Oglethorpe County Superior Court
Oglethorpe County Probate Court
Oglethorpe County Magistrate Court
Oconee County Superior Court
Oconee County Probate Court
Oconee County Magistrate Court
Commerce Municipal Court, Jackson County, 110 State St., Commerce, GA 30529
Jefferson Municipal Court, Jackson County, 65 Kissam Street, Jefferson, GA 30549
Arcade Municipal Court, Jackson County, 3325 Athens Highway, Jefferson, GA 30549
Winterville Municipal Court, Clarke County, 125 North Church Street, Winterville, GA 30683
Comer Municipal Court, Madison County, Hwy 72 East, Comer, GA 30629
Watkinsville Municipal Court, Oconee County, 191 VFW Drive, Watkinsville, GA 30677
Danielsville Municipal Court, Madison County, 10 Government Circle, Danielsville, GA 30633
Winder Municipal Court, Barrow County, 45 East Athens Street, Winder, GA 30680
Statham Municipal Court, Barrow County, 327 Jefferson St, Statham, GA 30666
If you are convicted of drunk driving or drugged driving, you will be subject to being evaluated by State-certified counselors for alcohol or drug addiction, performing community service, and attending DUI school in Athens, GA. Fines, surcharges, jail time, and other conditions (like random alcohol screens) are common components of a sentence.
The helpful, copyrighted infographic below gives a quick summary of Georgia DUI laws and penalties for misdemeanor or felony DUI in GA. For more detailed information, ask an experienced, skilled, award-winning criminal lawyer near me.
The DUI class is called the Risk Reduction Program (RRP) and consists of 20 hours of class instruction. Go to the Georgia DDS website to get locations of these schools, anywhere in Georgia. Even when your Athens, GA DUI lawyer can get a DUI reduced to reckless driving, the DUI school course is typically mandated to prevent recidivism (getting another DUI).
Community service for a first offense DUI is generally 40 hours, but DUI penalties can be more under certain circumstances. For a 2nd DUI in GA and a 3rd DUI in GA, the community service hours are 240 hours, and for the 4th offense (felony DUI) within 10 years, community service hours are 480, at a minimum. If you want more information, look at this extensive explanation of DUI Penalties and Consequences, if convicted. Because the penalties can become more severe with each additional offense, finding the best Athens, GA DUI lawyer is critical.
Even for a DUI plea, the Athens prosecutor wants jail time. Since the same Solicitor handles both the Athens Municipal Court and the State Court of Athens-Clarke County, you have no option for transfer of a DUI misdemeanor case. For many accused citizens, this factor compels them to hire the best DUI lawyer in Georgia to fight their pending drunk driving case. Don’t hesitate to call the best Athens, GA DUI lawyer to fight for you.
The consolidated Athens-Clarke County police department makes most DUI arrests in Athens, GA. Before consolidation, the City of Athens police and the Clarke County police had separate departments. These Athens police officers have a DUI Task Force and H.E.A.T. unit, which have had additional training in DUI enforcement.
Other law enforcement agencies making arrests in Athens are:
If you visit Athens or are a student with a car, do not drink and drive. You will see a lot of police officers no matter which part of the Classic City you travel through. Regardless of the police agency making an arrest in a criminal case, the book-in will be at the Clarke County Jail. Due to consolidation, only one jail now exists in Athens-Clarke County. The Athens Clarke County jail is located on the north side of Lexington Road, east of Downtown, and all arrestees go to this jail. The physical address is 3035 Lexington Road, Athens, GA 30605.
The Athens-Clarke County Courthouse is located downtown at 325 East Washington Street, Athens, GA 30601. However, two different misdemeanor courts may have Athens, GA DUI arrests on its Athens Clarke County court docket.
Your DUI citation should show whether your case is pending in the Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court (most cases are started here), in State Court, or in Superior Court. All criminal arrests within this county will be handled by one of these criminal courts.
The Judges and the jurisdictional limits of the criminal courts in Athens are as follows:
Athens-Clarke County is one of five (5) consolidated governments in Georgia. By virtue of that fact, the Athens-Clarke police are the primary law enforcement agency in Athens and most DUI arrests in Athens are made by the county police.
If you need to contact one of the three Athens Clarke County Clerk of Court offices, see the following information:
All criminal courts, including Athens Clarke County Magistrate’s Court, are in the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse at 325 East Washington Street, Athens, GA 30601.
To Fight a Drunk Driving Charge, Call Our DUI Law Firm for a FREE DUI Case Assessment
Call Athens, GA DUI lawyer Bubba Head or his law partners, Cory Yager and Larry Kohn today and put 43 years of winning DUI cases on your side. Plus, since 2016, both Mr. Kohn and Mr. Yager became legal book authors by writing chapters in two separate national DUI trial practice manuals. The two partners have 32 years of combined criminal law experience.
Our DUI lawyers are as close as a phone call. Dial our toll-free number, 1-888-384-4323, to speak to one of our partners. 24 hours a day you can pick up the phone and call us for your FREE lawyer consultation near me and we will listen to what happened and then advise you on what steps you must take right away. This includes the 30-day deadline to APPEAL the DDS Georgia suspension of your license or opt for the new ignition interlock device for 12 months. It is imperative that you retain the best Athens, GA DUI lawyer to handle your case.
Call today (404) 567-5515 and get your FREE lawyer consultation over the phone or in person.
Athens, GA DUI lawyer William C. (Bubba) Head has been handling Athens DUI cases, misdemeanor criminal cases, and felony criminal cases since 1976. When you search for law firms near me, and you need a criminal defense attorney in Athens, GA or surrounding counties, call Bubba Head or his two other Super Lawyers law partners for the absolute best DUI defense. Larry Kohn has over 20 years of criminal defense litigation and ex-cop Cory Yager brings a decade of law enforcement experience and more than 12 years of courtroom experience with Mr. Head’s law office in Sandy Springs, GA.
