DUI Lawyer Atlanta: Best DUI Defense Attorney in GA

By: Atlanta DUI Lawyer Larry Kohn, Award-Winning DUI Defense Attorney in 2024, Representing Clients in the Metro Atlanta Area Since 1998

Arrested for driving under the influence in the metro Atlanta area? You need an experienced DUI defense attorney who knows how to protect your driver’s license, (you have only 30 days after your arrest to request an appeal and avoid an automatic license suspension), and how to defend your DUI case in court.

A DUI arrest in Georgia triggers two separate legal processes: administrative license penalties handled by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), and a criminal DUI case prosecuted through the court system.

In Georgia, a DUI conviction stays on your criminal record permanently, which is why our job is to help you avoid that conviction whenever possible.

In this article, top-rated Atlanta DUI attorney Larry Kohn explains what happens after a DUI arrest, how legal representation can help protect your license, and which legal defenses may apply to fight your DUI case in court.

What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Georgia

Immediately after being arrested for DUI in Georgia, the arresting officer handed you a pink form, also known as a DDS Form 1205. This piece of paper indicated two things: that this form serves as your temporary driving permit for 30 days AND that the Georgia Department of Driver Services intends to suspend your license.

That ’30 day’ notice is important because that is the timeframe you have to either appeal your license suspension at an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) hearing or, if eligible, to install an Ignition Interlock Device and maintain driving on a Limited Permit.

You’re also facing criminal consequences which include a $300-$1,000 fine (for a first offense, plus court surcharges), 24 hours in jail (if BAC was o.08 or higher), and 40 hours of mandatory community service and 20 hours of DUI school classes.

Throughout our 90 years of collective practice experience, we’ve handled over 6,500 DUI cases, with many of them in Atlanta-area courts like Atlanta Municipal Court, Cobb County State Court, Gwinnett County Recorder’s Court.

Why You Need a DUI Defense Attorney Near You After the Arrest

After your DUI arrest, you have two options to try to protect your driver’s license:

(1) file an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) appeal or (2) apply for an Ignition Interlock Device Limited Permit (IIDLP).

If you choose to appeal, we will promptly prepare and file the necessary paperwork with the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) in Conyers. In most cases, our DUI lawyers can appear on your behalf. This is important, as these hearings generally take place outside of the area where you were arrested.

On the other hand, you may qualify for the Ignition Interlock Device option, but eligibility is limited. You must have a first DUI offense within five years, no prior convictions, be 21 or older, and have a valid Georgia driver’s license.

Choosing the IID option means you are giving up your right to appeal. You must install the device within 10 days of DDS issuing your permit. The IID prevents your car from starting if alcohol is detected and may require periodic retests while driving. Once installed, you can only drive vehicles that have the device for the full 12-month period. You cannot drive commercial vehicles or any vehicle without the interlock.

The wrong decision could lead to a full 12-month suspension if deadlines are missed. A DUI lawyer near me can help you choose which option is best for your situation.

Bottom line: if you do nothing, your license will be suspended for 12 months starting on the 46th day after arrest.

The DUI Defense Attorneys Trusted Across Metro Atlanta

A DUI arrest is too serious to risk hiring a cheap attorney. When searching for the “best DUI defense attorney near me,” reviews and credentials are an important part of that decision.

Begin by looking at reviews on legitimate websites, like Martindale-Hubbell, Bestlawyers.com, and Super Lawyers whose goal it is to find and publicly name the best lawyers in Atlanta and across the country.

These badges are only shown for DUI defense lawyers who meet the standards of peer-reviewed, recognized organizations.

All of our DUI attorneys near me appear on these review sites.

• Cory Yager holds a perfect Martindale-Hubbell rating of 5. He holds an “AV Preeminent” classification, which is the highest possible rating. He has worked on over 420 criminal cases, mainly focused on DUI.
• Larry Kohn has 575 5-star AVVO reviews (More than 99% of all DUI defense lawyers in Georgia.)
• William C. “Bubba” Head is a nationally recognized DUI defense attorney. For over 40 years, he has been known as one of the best DUI attorneys in Georgia. In 2003, his peers named him the Top DUI Lawyer in America.

With credentials like these, it’s no surprise that high-profile individuals, including celebrities, athletes, politicians, and business leaders, have trusted our DUI defense attorneys to handle their cases with discretion and experience.

We offer flexible payment plans to make sure cost isn’t the reason someone ends up with a conviction on their record. To speak to one of our DUI defense attorneys about our payment plans, call us at 404-567-5515.

How We Defend DUI Charges in Metro Atlanta Courts

Most Georgia DUI arrests involve two types of charges filed together: DUI Per Se (based on chemical test results) and DUI Less Safe (based on the officer’s observations that you were “less safe” to drive). We develop defense strategies based on the specific evidence used to support each charge.

Common defenses include:

• Challenging whether the officer had reasonable suspicion to stop you.
• Identifying mistakes in the administration of field sobriety tests.
• Verifying whether the Implied Consent Warning was properly given.
• Reviewing Intoxilyzer 9000 calibration and maintenance records.
• Contesting the accuracy, reliability, and admissibility of blood, breath, or urine test results.

Courts Our Georgia DUI Lawyers Regularly Appear In

We regularly defend DUI charges in courts across the metro Atlanta area, including Atlanta Municipal Court, Cobb County State Court, Gwinnett Recorder’s Court, Fulton County State Court, and Dekalb County Recorders Court. Our attorneys also appear in city-level courts like Sandy Springs and Marietta.

In Atlanta Municipal Court alone, we appear more than 100 times each year.

Most DUI cases start in Municipal Court if the arrest was made by a city officer. These courts can resolve the case, but if a jury trial is requested or the case isn’t resolved early, it will be transferred to State Court.

We handle DUI charges in both courts and know how to move cases forward at each stage.

Facing DUI Charges in Metro Atlanta? Get a FREE Consultation With an Experienced DUI Defense Attorney

We offer free consultations for anyone facing DUI charges in Georgia. Whether your case is in Atlanta or a smaller court outside the metro area, we’re available to help.

We have four office locations across the metro Atlanta area, including offices in Atlanta, Cobb County, and Gwinnett County. If you’re outside the metro area, we also travel statewide and routinely defend DUI cases in city, county, and State Courts across Georgia.

We want to help you avoid a license suspension. Remember, you only have 30 days to act. In fact, waiting more than 15 days after arrest is possibly too long, since you may need to obtain an ignition interlock device before the 30th day after arrest.

If charged with driving under the influence, call for your free consultation at 404-567-5515 to talk to Larry Kohn, Super Lawyers-rated DUI attorney in Atlanta.

If your case involves a DUI-related felony, like serious injury by vehicle or first-degree vehicular homicide, ask to speak with William C. Head. He is ABA Board-Certified in DUI Defense and has decades of experience handling the most serious DUI charges in Georgia.

If you submitted to Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (100% optional in GA), ask for Cory Yager. He is an ex-Cobb County and Roswell police officer, rated 5.0 by Martindale-Hubbell and is recognized as a Super Lawyer in DUI defense.

Until you hire private legal counsel, understand that you only enter an attorney-client relationship once a fee is set, and you start paying the attorney fees owed. Everything you tell us, however, is 100% confidential and cannot be used against you.

Our Sandy Springs main office is easy to get to near I-285 and Roswell Road. Our Atlanta attorneys have a DUI office on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta. We also have a DUI defense office in Alpharetta. Additionally, a third DUI law firm is located in Cobb County, located in downtown Marietta.

MAIN LAW OFFICE IN SANDY
SPRINGS, GEORGIA:

5600 Roswell Rd
Building H, #210
Sandy Springs, GA 30342
(404) 567-5515

MARIETTA, GA LOCATION
in Cobb County, GA:

55 Atlanta Street SE
Suite 400
Marietta, GA 30060
(888) 274-6288

ALPHARETTA-ROSWELL-MILTON
LOCATION
in North Fulton County, GA:

33 S Main St
Suite 302
Alpharetta, GA 30009
(844) 867-2889