Do I Need a Lawyer?

There are many things that we can handle on our own or pick up on the way home from the store.  However, good legal representation is not one of those things.  It is critical that you contact an experienced DUI lawyer in the state of Georgia immediately in order to preserve your rights. 

You DUI charge may have unique elements that you may not know how to handle and any attempt to represent yourself in court may complicate your case further and lead to harsh punishment. 

There are several DUI defenses that a qualified DUI attorney in Georgia may utilize in order to resolve your case, such as: 

1.  When your where pulled over, was there reasonable suspicion to stop the vehicle?

2.  If there was a roadblock, did the police follow the accepted procedures such as:

        a.  Having a legitimate purpose such as check for licenses, not general law enforcement

        b.  Stopping every vehicle

        c.  Having the roadblock properly marked

        d.  Having a police supervisor approve the checkpoint and its legitimate purpose

        e.  Having the detention be brief and for the correct legal purpose

3.  Was the stop a just pretext or was someone racially profiled?

4.  Were any field sobriety tests performed in a manner consistent with proper police training and procedure?

5.  Was the arrestee properly advised of their implied consent rights and were their questions answered clearly and correctly?

6.  Did the arresting officer say anything inconsistent with implied consent rights?

7.  If your vehicle was searched, was there probable cause to search the vehicle?

8.  Did the officer violate the driver's 5th Amendment right to remain silent after the arrest (Miranda Rights)?

9.  Was there Probable Cause to make the arrest for DUI?

10.  If a breath test was given, was the machine working and serviced correctly?

11.  If there was a blood test, was there a proper chain of custody of the blood, or could the sample be switched with another person's sample? 

12.  If there was a urine test, was there a proper chain of custody of the urine, or could the sample be switched with another person's sample? 

13.  If your blood or urine test shows prescription drugs, were your drug levels within the therapeutic range or the abusive range?

14.  Was the client apprised of his right to an independent breath, blood, or urine test?

15.  Was the arresting officer properly trained to make DUI Arrests?

16.  Did the officer have a disciplinary record?

17.  If the blood or urine test shows the presence of marijuana metabolites, are the metabolites active THC or inactive; meaning, could the marijuana have actually had an impact on the driving itself?

18.  If there was an accident, could the other driver have been at fault?

19.  If there was an accident, could the driver have appeared impaired because of injury or disassociation from the accident itself?

20.  Did the airbag deploy in an accident, and in turn cause the driver to become dazed and confused? 

The legal team at the Law Offices of Richard S. Lawson is prepared to review the details of your case and help guide you through the DUI process.  Don't try to handle these serious charges on your own.  Act quickly to protect your right to drive and contact our firm immediately.  We have over 15 years of experience defending DUI cases and we will help you with your DUI charges.