I have been cooperative in every aspect of my first DUI case. What happens if I plead guilty in court?

Because of the DUI laws in the state of Georgia, if you plead guilty to your first DUI charge you will receive mandatory jail time. Despite your cooperation, the judge ruling over your case has no other choice but to sentence you to jail time. When you plead guilty to your first DUI charge your license will also be suspended for one year, and you will have a DUI on your criminal record which may result in less employers hiring you. You will also experience higher automobile insurance rates among other consequences.

I do not recall my arresting officer reading me my Miranda rights. Can my case be thrown out?

A police officer only has to issue you your Miranda rights after you have been arrested and before he or she interrogates you. Under Georgia law, a police officer does not have to give a Miranda warning during an officer’s initial DUI investigation. It is a good rule of thumb to keep quiet and not say anything that may incriminate you before, during or after you have been arrested. However, if you have been placed into custody, interrogated, and not issued a Miranda warning any incriminating statements you make will not be admissible in the court of law.
It is always a good idea to contact one of the Savannah DUI lawyers if you have any questions regarding Miranda rights or any other facet of DUI law.

A colleague of mine mentioned the 10 day rule. What is this?

The 10 day rule comes into play if you refused to take a urine, blood or breath test. If this is the case in your situation, you are looking at a one year suspension of your driver’s license. You can avoid this by requesting a hearing to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, which must be hand written. If you do not make this request within 10 business days of your arrest, then your Georgia driver’s license will be suspended automatically.