Georgia DUI First Offense

Being charged with driving under the influence (DUI) is scary—especially if it is your first offense. If you have recently found yourself in this situation, dealing with the uncertainty is stressful. Will you go to jail? Will you lose your license? An experienced Georgia DUI defense attorney can answer these questions for you and help fight your pending drunk-driving charges.

For a first DUI offense, you may be ordered to pay fines ranging from $300 to $1,000 in addition to any statutory surcharges, which are usually 15-25%. You may be required to perform a mandatory minimum of 40 community service hours, or 20 hours for drivers under the age of 21. The judge will decide the actual time during sentencing.

A first offense may also result in a jail sentence of 10 days to 12 months, though all but 24 hours may be suspended or probated. You may also be placed on probation. If you are caught violating the terms of your probation, or commit another crime during this time, you may be ordered to jail to serve out the suspended sentence.

First-time offenders over the age of 21 may have their licenses suspended for a year; however, you may be eligible to get your driving privileges back after 120 days if you complete a DUI School program and pay the reinstatement fee. You may be able to obtain a limited driving permit during those 120 days that will allow you to drive to school, work, and other approved locations. Drivers under the age of 21 will have their license revoked for 6 months with a BAC under .08% or lower or for 12 months with a BAC of .08% or higher.

In addition to these criminal penalties, your driver’s license may be automatically suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles if you do not request a hearing within 10 days of your arrest. This suspension will occur whether your BAC was over the legal limit or you refused to take the breathalyzer test.

Don’t let a first DUI offense affect the rest of your life. The skilled DUI defense attorneys at The Willis Law Office may be able to have your charges reduced to a lesser crime or dismissed altogether. Contact them today for advice on your pending case.