Know about DUI process in Gwinnett county

Sep 25, 2022 | Uncategorized

Gwinnett county is no stranger to drunk driving arrests. Every day, people are charged with drunk driving offenses such as DUIs, or driving under the influence of alcohol. If you find yourself in this unfortunate position, you may be wondering what happens next. The following are DUI process in gwinnett county;

  1. The arrest

When you are arrested, you will be handcuffed and taken to a police station. You are not required to answer questions, but it is highly recommended that you do so courteously. Refusing to speak may imply guilt or you being uncooperative. You may be placed in another area for questioning, but you should request a lawyer immediately if this happens so that any evidence will not be allowed against you in court. If there is no evidence against you, the charges may be dropped.

  1. Being booked into jail

After questioning has ended with the police, you may be taken to jail for booking. You will be fingerprinted and photographed, and your information is recorded on a case number. You will be given a receipt for the booking.

  1. Finding out what you are being charged with

After all of this, you may have no idea what you are being charged with. You may find out that you have been charged with DUI even though there was absolutely no evidence against you! In that case, it is vital that you speak to an attorney immediately so that any potential errors in the investigation can be corrected before it gets to trial.

  1. Being taken to jail

Depending on the severity of the charges, you may be taken to jail after being booked. You may face up to a year in jail and a long mandatory license suspension if you are found guilty. If you are not taken to jail, there is a good chance that your license will be suspended, but this can be appealed prior to the conviction.

  1. Seeing a judge for bond hearing

You will see a judge for a bond hearing. If you are being held on a felony charge, having no bond is not very likely. The judge will decide your bond, and this could be set for up to $1,000,000.

  1. Finding out if you have representation

You will be told what your charges are and whether or not you will have to hire a lawyer. If so, the court sends out an order to the probation department where they ask what they need help with since most people are only sentenced to probation and if they do not meet their terms of probation; they are sent back to jail or prison until the end of their sentence. If you wish, a public defender (PD) will be assigned to handle your case instead of hiring an attorney. If you are not eligible for a PD, then you will be taken to court and assigned an attorney.

  1. Facing your charges in court

After you receive an attorney, then your case may be presented to the judge in court. This could be a “Trial” or “Conviction”. The judge will look at the evidence and determine if any of it is sufficient enough to convict you of DUI or driving under the influence of alcohol. If not, the judge will see if there is sufficient evidence against you and decide whether or not to set bail, with great difficulty being granted if they do.