An Atlanta DUI conviction can have severe repercussions, from jail time and fines to license suspensions and the stigmata of being listed as having had an arrest record and appearing on background checks.
An experienced DUI lawyer can increase your chances of reaching a satisfactory plea bargain agreement. By inspecting all aspects of the prosecution’s case – blood test results, car mechanical assessments and witness testimony – your legal professional can improve the odds in your favor and help secure an optimal plea deal agreement.
1. Fines
DUI conviction in Georgia can carry jail time, fines and license suspension. By accepting a plea deal or diversion program, however, these consequences could potentially be avoided.
Upon successfully completing a Georgia pretrial diversion program, all criminal charges will be dropped by petition to the court and no record will remain for prospective employers to evaluate your background.
An experienced DUI defense attorney can work to reduce jail time (especially for first-time offenders), reduce state and county surcharges, have breathalyzer evidence dismissed if unreliable and help you retain driving privileges while avoiding higher insurance rates that come with conviction. Every case is unique so it’s wise to consult a knowledgeable Atlanta DUI lawyer on whether a plea bargain or diversion program would best suit your situation;
2. Jail
An arrest for DUI can have serious repercussions that last beyond conviction, such as permanent criminal records, increased insurance premiums and loss of driving privileges. A DUI plea bargain may be the ideal solution to minimize harsher penalties.
Experienced attorneys can assist their clients by challenging the evidence presented by the prosecution as being flawed or incomplete, such as defective breath or blood test equipment, video footage of the stop, weather/traffic conditions at the time of arrest, witness statements etc.
Georgia DUI diversion programs may offer first time offenders who meet specific criteria an alternative to jail time. Participants typically pay a program fee and attend DUI classes/community service hours in exchange for having their charges dismissed when completed successfully. An Atlanta DUI lawyer can negotiate these terms on your behalf to potentially keep a DUI conviction off of your record altogether and contest your administrative license suspension with DDS; should this prove successful they could reduce or even eliminate it completely.
3. Treatment
An arrest for DUI leaves an irreparable criminal record and can have lasting repercussions for your career, personal life and family. Sometimes plea deals may reduce the severity of charges such as DUI to reckless driving; which doesn’t trigger mandatory license suspension and has less of an effect on insurance premiums.
An experienced attorney can be invaluable when facing charges of DUI. He or she can examine the prosecution’s evidence, identify any weak spots in its argument and negotiate favorable plea deals with local prosecutors in order to shorten your court time and reduce missed work days due to prolonged trial processes. Furthermore, having legal representation may help minimize potential consequences from a DUI conviction such as loss of driving privileges and permanent criminal records.
4. Record
DUI penalties in Georgia can be steep, yet with the assistance of an experienced lawyer there may be ways to mitigate them. Your attorney could potentially weaken prosecution evidence by identifying flaws in field sobriety tests or blood alcohol content results, or by providing mitigating factors like job responsibilities or childcare needs as mitigation strategies.
Pre-trial diversion programs typically require defendants accepted into them to pay program fees, complete community service hours and attend classes. Successful completion will result in criminal charges being dropped; however, depending on the charges laid out they could remain on your record for some period of time (usually depending on which charges have been laid out) which could hinder employment opportunities and legal opportunities in future. Luckily this can be reduced by filing a petition to have it expunged after a certain period has passed; this process should be managed by a competent DUI defense attorney attorney
