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By: William C. Head, Criminal Defense Attorney Atlanta & Expert on First Offense DUI
Some jurisdictions in the United States (e.g., Mississippi, Maryland, Illinois, Alabama, West Virginia) offer 1st DUI offense violators some very attractive first DUI offense alternatives, to help keep your criminal history clean.
NONE of these are available under Georgia DUI laws. The Peach State offers no 1st DUI expungement (Mississippi), or probation before judgment (Maryland), or DUI diversion (West Virginia), or youthful offender alternative sentence (Alabama), or special first DUI offender plea that could later clear your criminal record.
The State of Georgia offers NONE OF THE mitigating factors or options for protecting your long-term criminal records, or to allow favorable expungement options, even with a first offense DUI. In Georgia, you carry a DUI GA conviction to the GRAVE. No path to not putting a drunk driving conviction on your permanent criminal history exists. That is why our DUI specialists fight the DUI case, and spend our time and energy learning and utilizing over 100 methods for how to beat a DUI.
Should I Hire a Georgia DUI Lawyer for a First Offense DUI?
All offenses described below are for Georgia DUI Convictions within 10 years, by dates of arrest:
Jail Time | Community Service | Court Fines | Classification | |
1st DUI | 24 hours to 1 year | 40 hours | Up to $2,000* | Misdemeanor DUI |
2nd DUI | 72 hours to 1 year | 240 hours | Up to $2,000* | Misdemeanor DUI |
3rd DUI | 15 days to 1 year | 240 hours | Up to $2,000* | Misdemeanor DUI |
4th DUI | 90 days to 1 year | 480 hours | Up to $10,000* | Felony DUI |
* These maximum fines reflect Georgia DUI laws. DUI Drugs can double fines.
In states with draconian DUI laws, like Georgia, you need to contact a DUI law firm with an impressive record of criminal defense lawyer DUI trials, and victories. Citizens charged with drunk driving need to narrow their search to “best lawyers,” because these DUI attorneys will be able to identify and capitalize on potential legal challenges available under Georgia DUI laws.
Cheap DUI lawyers, average DUI lawyers and even “good DUI lawyers” often are trying to balance their business model of charging “low fees” against the amount of time they will spend to talk to you, or reveal their DUI defense strategies. Unless you cannot afford one of the best attorneys, or are unwilling to take the time for talk to a top-rated drunk driving attorney, who offers a FREE appointment, call us for a CASE ANALYSIS.
If we cannot help you for a fee you can afford, we will guide you to another criminal defense lawyer or DUI attorney, who will work with your ability to pay legal fees.
How to Find the Best Criminal Defense Lawyers
So, the short answer is that if you are asking, “Do I need a lawyer for DUI in GA?” the answer is yes if you want to keep your full driver’s license and lessen the amount of painful DUI penalties that you must face for the rest of your life. Yet, almost no one knows a DUI attorney to call, once charged with drunk driving. Trying to identify and locate the best DUI lawyers in Georgia without disclosing to friends that you were arrested, is a balancing act.
The most selective of all lawyer ratings organizations are these two methods:
All three law partners at our DUI law firm are listed in the 2017 Super Lawyer ratings. For most of our clients, the imposition of drunk driving penalties would be devastating to their lives and their careers, so our DUI experts fight as long and as far as our clients tell us to fight for them.
Call us NOW at 404-567-5515, for a FREE case assessment.
Partner and drunk driving book author William C. Head possess both attorney ratings, as shown above, and many more. His law partners, DUI lawyer Atlanta Larry Kohn and criminal defense attorney Atlanta Cory Yager, also possess “best lawyer” credentials with Super Lawyers.
We will openly and frankly discuss DUI lawyer cost, and other case expenses that you may need to pay, depending on how far your case progresses, until we find a favorable resolution.
We also offer a FREE lawyer consultation, because we know that many citizens arrested for DUI are stressed out from the arrest process, and feel that they have no chance to win. Their attorney search focuses on low cost DUI lawyers and not the best DUI attorneys.
Every year, our DUI law firm is able to secure, for our clients facing DUI, hundreds of favorable case dispositions for DUI reduced to reckless driving GA “negotiated pleas.” When you hire cheap lawyers, you should expect to get what you pay for.