Can You Get Jail Time For Your First Atlanta DUI?
Can you get jail time for your first Atlanta DUI? Unfortunately, the short answer is yes. Not only can you get jail time if you get convicted for a DUI in Georgia, you will get jail time. Even for a first-time DUI. This state is very serious when it comes to DUIs. Even if you're only a little bit over the legal limit of 0.08% BAC, the law doesn't care. Any DUI will end up in some jail time. The only way to avoid jail time is to fight the charges against you, and make sure you get the justice you deserve. The police and state patrol and prosecutors are all working together on behalf of the state, so there is no reason you should have to go up against them all alone. An experienced Atlanta DUI defense lawyer will stand up to them to fight for your rights.
First Time Atlanta DUI Penalties
As the penalties for DUIs have gotten harsher over the years, now any DUI, even a first DUI, will have serious penalties. For a first DUI in Georgia, that means fines of up to $1,000; a minimum of 40 hours of community service; DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program at your cost; a clinical evaluation; substance abuse treatment program; a suspended driver's license for a year; probation; and time in jail.
Jail for a first DUI can be from 10 days up to one year. That doesn't necessarily mean that you'll have to spend a year behind bars for a DUI, but the judge may make you serve the time on probation. However, with a BAC reading 0.08% or higher will result in a minimum 24 hours in jail that the judge has to impose. So any DUI will result in some prison time.
Make no mistake about it, probation isn't easy. You'll be under the thumb of the state for that entire one year period. That means if you mess up just once, you could end up in jail, and have to finish out your jail sentence behind bars. Probation can impose all sorts of requirements on you, including that you can't have any alcohol at all, or that you can't be in bars or hang out with certain people. You'll also have to spend hours upon hours completing your probationary requirements, including DUI school, and any counselling sessions. The best way to avoid any of these penalties is to makes sure you don't plead guilty, and you hire an experienced Atlanta DUI lawyer to fight the charges against you to get them dropped or reduced.
Georgia DUI Lawyer
A Georgia DUI arrest does not have to lead to a conviction. You don't have to plead guilty just because you got arrested for a first time mistake. A DUI conviction isn't anything to mess around with. As we areGeorgia DUI defense lawyers with years of experience defending clients charged with DUIs, we understand how serious it can be. The Office of Lawson and Berry has successfully represented drivers charged with DUIs to get their charges dismissed or reduced. We will use our extensive training, courtroom experience, and understanding of how the police and prosecutors make their case to work for you. Call us anytime, because you need someone on your side to fight for your rights.