Getting pulled over for a DUI can be a scary and overwhelming experience, especially if it is your first offense. Sobriety checkpoints are not uncommon in metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Roswell, Alpharetta, Marietta, Johns Creek, Sandy Springs, Milton and elsewhere throughout Fulton, Cobb and Forsyth Counties.

However, it is important to remain calm and remember your rights. If you ever find yourself in this situation in Roswell or anywhere else in Georgia, Rowsey & Stelter, Attorneys at Law, recommend the following steps to help you protect your rights and minimize the potential consequences.

Remain Calm and Polite

If you are pulled over for a DUI, it is important to remain calm and polite with the officer. Do not argue or become confrontational, as it will only make matters worse. Instead, be respectful and cooperative, and provide the officer with your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance when asked.

Don’t Volunteer Information

Being cooperative is not the same as sharing too much information. The officer’s job is to investigate, so let them investigate while you remain silent. Do not offer information and politely refuse to answer questions until your attorney is present.

Decline Field Sobriety Tests

In Georgia, field sobriety tests are voluntary, and you have the right to refuse them. These tests are designed to determine your level of impairment, but they are notoriously unreliable and subjective. If you decline the tests, the officer may still arrest you, but it will make it more difficult for the prosecution to prove their case against you. You can also politely invoke the advice of counsel when refusing a field sobriety test.

Take a Breathalyzer Test

In Georgia, if you refuse to take a breathalyzer test, your driver’s license will be automatically suspended for one year. However, if you take the test and blow over the legal limit of .08%, it will be used as evidence against you in court. Therefore, it is important to understand the potential consequences before deciding whether to take the test. Your DUI Defense Attorney from Rowsey & Stelter, Attorneys at Law, can challenge test results, procedures and more in your defense.

Hire an Experienced DUI Defense Attorney

If you are arrested for a DUI in Roswell, Atlanta or other parts of Georgia, it is critical to hire an experienced DUI Defense Attorney as soon as possible. Our experienced attorneys at Rowsey & Stelter, Attorneys at Law, can help you understand your rights, navigate the legal system and build a strong defense.

We can help challenge the procedures used by law enforcement. For example, you may be able to question whether the arresting officer:

• Had a valid legal justification for the stop
• Actually witnessed you operating a vehicle
• Violated your rights
• Improperly administered a sobriety test
• Singled you out due to improper motives or prejudice
• Failed to warn you of your rights
• Provided a version of events contradicted by other witnesses or by other evidence
• More…

Roswell, GA, DUI Lawyer

Getting stopped for a DUI in Roswell, Georgia, can be a daunting experience, but it is important to remember your rights and take the necessary steps to protect them. Contact Rowsey & Stelter, Attorneys at Law, as soon as possible.