Georgia DUI Punishment
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The first punishment you face after an impaired-driving arrest is a driver’s license suspension. Imposed by the Department of Driver Services (DDS) rather than the criminal courts, your license may be confiscated by the arresting office, and you will be given a form that acts as your temporary permit. This form also explains the hearing request process. Because you only have 10 business days to request a hearing with the DDS, hiring a DUI attorney as soon as possible is important. Your attorney will not only ensure that your license appeal letter it submitted on time, he can also represent you during the hearing.
If this is your first breathalyzer test failure or refusal, your driving privileges could be suspended for up to one year. This suspension period is increased for habitual offenders; three years for a second offense and five years for a third offense. If you are a commercial driver’s license (CDL) holder, you could be disqualified from operating a commercial vehicle for the rest of your life upon a second offense.
If convicted of DUI in criminal court, the punishment is based on the number of prior drunk-driving offenses on your record. For a first offense, you face a mandatory minimum of 24 hours in jail, though you could be sentenced to up to 12 months. Fines range from $600 to $1000 and you could be ordered to perform community service for at least 40 hours. Your punishment will also include a mandatory drug and alcohol evaluation and DUI School.
For a second offense, you face a mandatory minimum of 72 hours in jail, but could be sentenced to up to 12 months. Fines range from $600 to $1000 and you could be ordered to perform community service for at least 240 hours as well as complete mandatory drug and alcohol evaluations and DUI School. As a condition of your license reinstatement, you may be required to get an ignition interlock device installed in all of your vehicles.
The punishment for a Georgia DUI could be enhanced if you were transporting a child under the age of 21 or caused an accident while under the influence.
Don’t let a Georgia DUI arrest change your life. Contact Attorney Greg Willis today for a free, one-hour, no-obligation DUI case evaluation.
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