Drunk Driving Lawyer Dekalb County GA
If you’ve been pulled over for a DUI, you need to know the next best steps to take. After all, you may not only lose your driving privileges from several months or more—you may be at risk of having your life and future turned upside down. There are significant consequences to being caught drinking and driving—it’s an offense you should not take lightly. If you do get charged, contact a Dekalb County, Georgia drunk driving lawyer from right away.
Consequences of a DUI Conviction
As a drunk driving lawyer in Dekalb County GA can explain, a DUI conviction carries many repercussions that can make your life much more challenging. Not being able to get behind the wheel and go where you want to go is a tremendous inconvenience. But, you may also be:
- Subject to substantial fines
- Given jail time
- Required to pay for an interlock device to be installed in your vehicle
- Forced to attend DUI classes
Many secondary consequences come from a DUI conviction, as well, especially if it is a felony conviction.
What to Do If You are Pulled Over for a Suspected DUI
When a police officer stops you, you are technically not in custody but in a state of detention. You are not free to go on your way. You are not in custody, so the officer does not have to read you your Miranda rights. But you are still entitled to these rights.
Depending on the law of the state you live in, you may only be required to show your driver’s license, automobile registration, and proof of insurance. If the officer asks you questions, you can politely inform him or her that you are declining to answer, as is established in your Fifth Amendment rights.
The officer will likely command you to step out of the car and submit to a field sobriety test. This test is not required by law. You would be well-advised to refuse, citing the grounds that the test is subjective and unreliable. Say these things out loud, as many law enforcement personnel carry recording devices. Your Dekalb County GA drunk driving lawyer may use these recordings in court as part of your defense later on, if necessary.
The officer may also request you take a field breath test. Again, this is not a legal requirement. If you are over 21 and not on probation for a previous DUI, you do not have to take the breath test. Again, make sure you state aloud that you do not believe the law requires this and that the test can be unreliable.
At this time, the police officer can do one of two things: take you into custody or send you on your way. If the officer takes you into custody, he or she must read your Miranda rights and take you to the police station. Once there, you will be required to submit to a breath test or take a blood test. These tests are required by law, and you cannot refuse them. If you are allowed a choice, take the breath test. It is easier to discredit in court because if its known accuracy issues.
When you are released from the police station, document anything and everything that happened. This record will be crucial when a DUI Lawyer Dekalb County GA residents trust is putting together your defense.
If you have been arrested and charged with driving under the influence, you need a drunk driving lawyer Dekalb County GA clients recommend from The Lynch Law Group – Attorney at Law fighting for your rights. Call our office today.
