DeKalb County Underage DUI Lawyer
For DeKalb County underage DUI lawyers, defending an underage client often presents a unique challenge. That’s because Georgia is a “zero tolerance” state in terms of drivers who are charged with DUI and are below the legal drinking age. Because consuming any amount of alcohol is illegal, driving with any measurable amount is considered a violation of Georgia DUI laws.
Many underage arrests for DUI and related offense are made by a municipal or city police officer. The Deklab County underage DUI attorneys at Hawkins Spizman represent underage defendants charged with DUI and underage possession of alcohol in many municipal courts throughout DeKalb County. For example, DUI attorneys like to point out that even within that “zero-tolerance” policy, there are some exceptions. Georgia DUI law states that the “legal limit” for drivers under the age of 21 is .02 (rather than the .08 limit for over 21 drivers). This is because the breathalyzer testing machines that law enforcement officers use have a .02 margin of error. Additionally, DeKalb County DUI law mandates that two separate breath tests must be administered, and those two results must be within that margin for either or both of them to be admissible in court.
Of course, the best way to get a proper evaluation for your case if you are charged with underage DUI or minor in possession is to visit a DeKalb County DUI lawyer at Hawkins Spizman and have them evaluate the circumstances of the arrest and the accompanying test results.
Underage DUI Laws in Georgia
The Dekalb County underage DUI lawyers at Hawkins Spizman practice in courts all over the metro DeKalb County. Our office is located in DeKalb County. As DeKalb County DUI lawyers, we know there are other differences that apply to underage DUI cases, as well. Although many of the penalties for an under 21 driver are the same, the consequences to personal freedom and driver’s license suspension are often more severe. For instance, there is no limited driving permit for a person under the age of 21 who is convicted of a DUI. So, a guilty plea or verdict leads to a hard suspension with no driving privileges at all, even though transportation may be needed to get to school and work, or even to attend to medical emergencies.
How a Dekalb County Underage DUI Lawyer Can Help
If you or a loved one are facing an underage DUI charge, it’s critical to have the right DeKalb County DUI attorneys on your side. Georgia’s zero-tolerance DUI laws mean that many underage drivers are arrested even though they are not drunk, or even impaired to the point where operating a motor vehicle is unsafe. Additionally, some prosecutors take a very tough stance on these cases.
The Hawkins Spizman team of DeKalb County underage DUI attorneys has a strong record in defending these types of clients. Our team of experienced former prosecutors can guide you through the DUI defense process, with the goal of saving your drivers license, keeping you out of jail, and working to keep the arrest off your record. Of course, we not achieve that result for every client in every case, but we believe strongly in setting goals for every case, and working hard to achieve them.
