Johns Creek DUI Lawyers: Drunk Driving Defense Lawyer in GA
By: Larry Kohn, legal book co-author on GA DUI laws and Johns Creek Traffic Lawyer - Named to Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers and a DUI attorney near me in the Peach State
Being stopped at a traffic pullover and then arrested for drunk driving by the Johns Creek police is the start of your quest to locate the best defense attorney in Johns Creek Georgia for your representation. If cited for a serious Johns Creek municipal court citation (e.g., possibly facing a DUI conviction), call our office NOW for a FREE consultation.
Since becoming a city nearly two decades ago, traffic in Johns Creek GA has ballooned. Similarly, as more housing units were built, the local population grew, plus the roads were widened and Johns Creek traffic lights were installed.
Today, many Johns Creek traffic cameras are in place, capturing some crashes and some serious criminal driving offenses. If ticketed, the usual court for 99% of these cases is the Johns Creek GA municipal court.
Because a lifetime criminal record and driver license suspension is possible in any DUI arrest, driving under the influence (DUI) is the most likely traffic violation for which our office receives calls. In every case, our goal is to find flaws in the case, to avoid our client being convicted for the serious driving charge that would be permanent in Johns Creek GA court records, and state of Georgia records.
When facing DUI charges in north Fulton County, you have the top law firm with the best DUI lawyer located a few miles away. Our closest physical office to Johns Creek Municipal Court is located at 33 S Main St #302 Alpharetta, GA 30009.
Many DUI accident injury cases may have a civil component to be dealt with. While our law office does handle personal injury cases, we can refer this part of the case out, especially if your car insurance has a low liability limit.
Our main law office is in Sandy Springs GA, and another Fulton County office is positioned downtown, at 235 Peachtree Street. Because fifteen different “city” courts like the Municipal Court of Johns Creek are stretched across Fulton County, having multiple office locations in Georgia’s largest county is beneficial.
Law enforcement in Johns Creek make dozens of DUI arrests, and they also have a DUI Task Force with multiple trained impaired driving officers who are dedicated to identifying people who are driving under the influence (alcohol or drugs). The job of the best DUI attorneys is to identify every legal issue available to your DUI defense (i.e., over the legal limit test results) and use it to get a DUI reduced to reckless driving - or a dismissal of the DUI charge altogether.
If you plan to win, hire an experienced Johns Creek DUI lawyer for your DUI defense. Self-representation is OUT of the question. Call only the best Johns Creek DUI attorneys for drunk driving - our law group has three of those lawyers UNDER ONE ROOF. You need someone on your side who will fight for you as you face these serious charges.
Which Traffic Ticket Attorney Johns Creek GA Do I Need?
Our lawyers in Johns Creek Georgia have been going to that court and have represented clients regularly since the city was incorporated. The Prosecutor in the Johns Creek court, Larry Delan, has been serving the City of Johns Creek for about 9 years, but is primarily a criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor in DeKalb County.
Veteran Georgia lawyer Larry Kohn, traffic attorney Johns Creek GA, is fully capable of structuring a favorable negotiated plea in most cases in this court. He has been appearing in the north Fulton County traffic court since the city was incorporated and started making arrests.
Finding A DUI Lawyer Johns Creek GA as My Traffic Ticket Attorney
To begin, all Johns Creek traffic tickets are MISDEMEANOR cases. That means all traffic citations issued by city officers for this court are CRIMINAL cases, not infractions, as exists in most states. While the bulk of our legal representation on traffic tickets is for serious crimes like hit and run, attempting to elude an officer, racing, reckless driving in GA, DUI and child endangerment, we also handle super speeder GA citations, failure to yield and following too closely.
Georgia is different from about half the states in America. It offers no diversion, conditional discharge, first offender plea, or youthful offender law for driving while impaired. Also, getting a DUI expungement in Georgia is nearly impossible. The state has never allowed expunction or record restriction for DUI and probably never will.
DUI cases are SERIOUS misdemeanors or can be felonies under certain conditions, which are set forth below. Absent an accident with serious injury or death, while operating a school bus, OR while transporting three or more children under the age of 14 in the vehicle creating a DUI child endangerment, a first offense DUI is a serious misdemeanor only. Whether a misdemeanor or felony, having a DUI on your criminal record is PERMANENT, taking the offense to the GRAVE.
The 9 Identifiable Stages of a Johns Creek Arrest for DUI in Georgia
1. The Pullover or Police EncounterThe DUI arrest process typically proceeds in several, predictable stages. Once a Johns Creek police officer makes face-to-face contact (usually from a traffic offense being observed, a car accident, or possibly a 911 caller saying that your car was “weaving” or otherwise driving poorly) with a driver, that driver gets pulled over and a DUI investigation begins. Once speaking to you, the Johns Creek law enforcement officer asks the driver about his or her USE of alcohol or drugs.
You only need to provide your name and address. This information is usually on your driver’s license. Do not blow into a portable breath test at the roadside unless you have no alcohol in your system. When asked about any drugs you take, stay quiet. Just give your name and address!
2. Police Officer Asks Questions to Try to Obtain More Evidence Against YouIf you admit to drinking alcohol, using illegal drugs, or taking your prescribed medications, the officer will investigate further. This investigation means the Johns Creek police officer will ask you to step out of your vehicle. You will usually need to move to a spot between the two vehicles. Most people comply without asking why they need to exit their vehicle.
3. Roadside Tests are OPTIONAL and VOLUNTARY – Just Say “NO, Thank You.”Subsequently, the officer might inquire or inform you that "due to having consumed" SOMETHING alcoholic, or confessing to the use of SOME kind of drug, it is imperative for the officer to ensure your ability to DRIVE SAFELY. Following this, the officer may or may not bring up the necessity of undergoing a "field sobriety test" or "a few straightforward tests" to allow you to proceed. They will propose an HGN eye test along with some coordination tests. It is advised that you DO NOT PARTICIPATE in these!
4. A Backup Law Enforcement Officer May Arrive at the SceneFor most police encounters, another law enforcement officer from the Johns Creek Police Department will arrive for backup of the initial officer. Sometimes that second officer will TAKE OVER since he or she has more experience with DUI investigations. Either way, the driver should expect to be ASKED to do some “evaluations.” DON’T participate. ALL roadside exercises are OPTIONAL, voluntary, and are NOT required to keep your driver’s license.
Politely decline by saying “no, thank you.” It's crucial to note that field sobriety tests are notoriously unreliable, and even individuals who are completely sober and not on any medication often fail them due to the police's scoring criteria. If you disregard this guidance and attempt the test, your awkward performance will likely be recorded on body or car cameras, and this footage can and will be used against you in court.
5. The Officer’s Arrest Decision Can be Challenged in Court By Your DUI LawyerNext, whether you submitted to the bogus field tests or not, you will LIKELY be arrested for DUI less safe. This arrest means CUFFS on your wrists and locked behind your back. Your verbal protests, begging, name-dropping, and all other TALKING will be later used against you, so REMAIN silent. Also, listen carefully to what the officer is about to READ to you or TELL you.
6. Georgia DUI Laws Have an “Implied Consent” Statute: Your License Is in Jeopardy!The Georgia implied consent law, in a nutshell, is a statutory provision that threatens to SUSPEND your driving privileges in Georgia IF you don’t submit to a post-arrest chemical test of your breath, blood, or urine. You will not be allowed to call a lawyer. The General Assembly changed the flawed implied consent law notice on April 28, 2019. Your answer can cause you to lose ALL driving privileges.
7. Consent or Refusal of the Post-Arrest Breathalyzer for Alcohol Content or a Blood Test?If you AGREE to the post-arrest forensic testing, then you have likely saved your ability to drive, at least for Georgia-licensed drivers. Saying NO or just remaining silent will be TAKEN TO MEAN that you have REFUSED the DUI test. Such a DUI refusal can cost you the right to drive for a FULL year. Plus, the officer may apply for an electronic search warrant for a forcible blood collection.
8. Georgia Laws PERMIT You to Demand and Get an Independent Test, But Only After Taking the Officer’s Requested TestUnder the implied consent statute, a special provision in Georgia not only allows you to obtain your own independent test (if you have agreed to the state’s test) but lets you pick where to take the independent test. That blood collection site can be the location of a hospital, clinic, or other blood draw location in an adjacent county.
9. Booking, Fingerprinting, Mugshot, Incarceration and Bonding Out of JailOnce your independent test is collected, you will be taken to a detention facility, booked, fingerprinted, and will have a mugshot taken. If arrested for a DUI in Johns Creek, the police officer will ask you to submit to a blood, breath, or urine test. If a Georgia State Patrol officer or a member of the Johns Creek DUI Task Force or another police officer asks you to submit to a blood test and you agree, you may be taken to the North Fulton Hospital on State Highway 9, the highway between Roswell and Johns Creek.
Once out of jail, you will notice a future court date. The Municipal Court of Johns Creek, which is located at 11360 Lakefield Dr, Johns Creek, GA 30097, operates every weekday (except holidays).
However, court sessions only take place an average of four times per week. For some legal court dates, our lawyers in Johns Creek can appear in Court without our Client being with us, except for the final case disposition.
Keeping certain cases in Johns Creek Municipal Court MAY be advisable, particularly for a first offense DUI. If the client has prior DUIs, moving this case to Fulton County State Court may be part of utilizing the Fulton County DUI Court alternative sentencing. Our Firm's highly experienced DUI attorneys in Johns Creek KNOW how to advise their clients on this issue.
Among Criminal Attorneys Near Me, Our Law Firm’s Credentials for DUI Defense Will Be Unmatched
One thing that will stand out when you look for DUI lawyers near me for court in Johns Creek Municipal Court is that only a handful of firms are in the city limits of Johns Creek, Georgia. Plus, looking at Best Law Firms in America, as determined by U.S. News and World Report, our law firm is the only one north Fulton County law firms to make the cut for 2012 through 2024.
We also have many cases in Cobb County, DeKalb County, and the many Gwinnett Courts. The City of Johns Creek will celebrate its 20-year anniversary of its founding December 1, 2026.
Next, our Johns Creek criminal law attorneys offer you these many benefits:
(a) FREE lawyer consultation, in PERSON, via phone call or by way of video conferencing; (b) Reasonable Attorneys Fee Payment Plans; (c) 24-7 availability to help you GET OUT OF JAIL, and deal with emergencies; (d) FREE legal advice at our lawyer consultation, to help protect your driver’s license from a possible administrative suspension (if you call us in time to protect you).
Call today and speak with one of our THREE SUPER Lawyers today. Dial (404) 567-5515. What do you have to LOSE, if the call is FREE?