A few drinks out with friends can turn into months of legal proceedings and heavy financial costs. That’s what you have waiting for you if you are pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving in Georgia – or just about anywhere in the United States, for that matter.
The legal odyssey that can endure from a DUI arrest is long and complex. While the exact path depends on the case, here, in general, is what you have waiting for you if you are arrested on DUI charges.
- You’ll be arrested and booked. You’ll be taken to the nearest police station and photographed and fingerprinted.
- You’ll need to appear in court. When you’re arrested, you’ll receive a summons that lists a court date. For some people, this is a very embarrassing experience.
- If you are convicted of DUI in Georgia, you will lose your driving privileges for up to a year.
- On your first offense, you could pay a fine of up to $1,000.
- Even on your first offense, you could spend up to a year in jail, followed by probation.
- You likely will have to attend, and pay for, an alcohol and drug education program before you can have your driving privileges reinstated.
- A judge could order an evaluation of your level of alcohol usage and abuse.
- Your auto insurance premiums will rise for a number of years.
People who have been through this process will tell you their regrets of the day that landed them in trouble. They’ll wish they had stayed home. Or arranged for a designated driver. Or stopped at one drink. Or called an Uber. But hindsight is 20/20.
A DUI is nothing to take lightly. If you’ve been arrested and charged with drunk driving, a Georgia attorney can help.
