DeKalb County, GA Criminal Defense: Protecting Rights in the State Courts

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is the difference between a regular traffic ticket and a criminal charge like Reckless Driving or DUI? Show Answer
  A regular traffic ticket (like speeding 10 mph over) is an infraction that usually results in a fine and points on your license. A charge like DUI, Reckless Driving, or Hit and Run is a criminal misdemeanor or felony. A criminal charge requires a court appearance, carries the risk of jail time, severe fines, and results in a criminal record that goes beyond your driving history. We specialize in defending these serious criminal driving offenses.
• I have a suspended license due to a Failure to Appear (FTA) or Super Speeder fee. How quickly can you get it back? Show Answer
  The speed of license reinstatement depends entirely on the cause. If the suspension is due to an FTA (missed court date), we act immediately to contact the municipal or state court clerk to lift the judicial hold and submit the necessary forms to the DDS. If it's a Super Speeder suspension due to non-payment, we ensure the court and state fees are properly addressed. We focus on cutting through the bureaucracy to achieve the fastest possible legal reinstatement.
• Will paying my accident-related ticket (like Following Too Closely) affect a future civil lawsuit? Show Answer
  Absolutely. Paying an accident-related ticket in Georgia can be seen as an admission of guilt (negligence per se) and can be used as evidence against you in a civil personal injury lawsuit filed by the other driver. The financial stakes of the civil case—covering medical bills and damages—often far exceed the ticket fine. Our primary goal is to fight the ticket to prevent that conviction from being used to prove you were at fault in civil court.
• What is the most critical mistake people make after a DUI arrest in Metro Atlanta? Show Answer
  The most critical mistake is failing to request the DDS Administrative License Suspension (ALS) hearing within 30 days of the arrest. Missing this deadline results in an automatic, mandatory suspension of your license, regardless of the outcome of your criminal case. We treat this 30-day deadline as the first and most urgent step in every DUI defense we handle.
• My charges include a felony (like Burglary or Drug Trafficking). Do you handle serious non-traffic criminal cases? Show Answer
  Yes. While we specialize in serious driving offenses, our firm has over 25 years of experience successfully litigating felony and serious criminal cases in Superior Courts across Metro Atlanta. We provide aggressive defense against all felony charges, including challenging police procedure (illegal search/seizure), defending against mandatory minimum sentences, and fighting Warrants & Probation Violations.