Experienced Forsyth County DUI Lawyers at Chestney & Sullivan

If you have been arrested in Forsyth County for a DUI, our experienced Forsyth County DUI lawyers at Chestney & Sullivan can discuss your case anytime, including after-hours, weekends, and holidays! Typically, in a Driving Under the Influence case in Forsyth County, the arresting officer will initiate a license suspension action against you if you refuse the officer’s request for a blood or breath test. So that you know, actions must be taken within thirty days to protect your driving privileges. Mr. Sullivan is available to discuss your DUI criminal case and license suspension action today. Also, Mr. Sullivan has a case in front of the Georgia Supreme Court dealing with the admissibility of blood test refusals in a criminal trial.  He won a motion to suppress the blood test refusal in the trial court, and the prosecution appealed the decision to the Georgia Supreme Court.  We are happy to discuss your case with you, as many pro-defense appellate rulings may impact your case. Call Chestney & Sullivan today at 404.816.8777

Were you arrested for a DUI in Forsyth County? 

It is never a pleasant experience to be arrested for a DUI in Forsyth County – or anywhere else. A thousand things are racing through your mind, and you have many questions that need answers. We know what you are going through. We can answer many of the questions you may have. Our Forsyth County DUI lawyers can discuss your case anytime, including after-hours, weekends, and holidays. We can explain the court process to you and will guide you every step of the way as we defend your case. Our experienced DUI lawyers are prepared to protect your Forsyth County DUI case vigorously whether you have an arrest for Driving Under the Influence in the City of Cumming, or Forsyth County State Court (located in the Forsyth County Courthouse).  

The Forsyth County Jail

No matter where you were arrested in Forsyth County, you would have been brought to the Forsyth County Jail, which is attached to the courthouse and is located on the courthouse square at 202 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Cumming, GA 30040.

In most DUI arrests in Forsyth, there is either a pre-set bond or a judge reviews the case at a preliminary/bond hearing and issues a bond amount. That bond may be posted at the Forsyth County Jail.  The Forsyth County Jail accepts cash, property, or a bond through an approved bonding company. Click this hyperlink to access the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Bonding Information page. Once a bond is posted, a defendant is released on that bond, which remains in effect until the DUI case is concluded in court. It is common for a judge to add conditions to a bond, such as alcohol or drug screening, while the Driving Under the Influence case is pending.

Do you have a DUI in Cumming Municipal Court?

If you were arrested for DUI by the Cumming Police Department, your case will likely start in Cumming Municipal Court.  Police reports, videos, and other evidence are typically obtained through court discovery. We share with our clients everything we receive as part of the investigation, as it is our firm belief that our clients must be fully informed about their cases. Being fully informed is sharing the evidence the prosecution intends to use against a defendant, including videos. We review this discovery to determine what defenses there are in a Cumming Driving Under the Influence case and discuss the case/defenses with our client. This helps guide us on whether to negotiate with the prosecutor in Cumming Municipal Court, keep the case in municipal court for motions and trial, or send your Cumming DUI case over to Forsyth County State Court to preserve your right to a jury trial. If your Cumming DUI case begins in Cumming Municipal Court, and you demand a jury trial, Cumming Municipal Court loses jurisdiction over your Driving Under the Influence case. Your City of Cumming Driving Under the Influence case is then transferred to the Forsyth County court system for prosecution. Sometimes that is the best option if the prosecutor in Cumming Municipal Court refuses to negotiate an acceptable resolution in your case. 

Arrested for a DUI by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office?

If the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office arrests you for DUI, then your Driving Under the Influence case will be prosecuted in Forsyth County State Court if there are no felony charges. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office has a Traffic Unit (Forsyth County Special Operations Unit), essentially a DUI task force. The Forsyth County Special Operations Unit (DUI Task Force) makes the most DUI arrests in Forsyth County. The Forsyth County Special Operations Unit receives funding from the Georgia Office of Highway Safety’s H.E.A.T. program. The DUI Task Force received a H.E.A.T. grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

The Forsyth County DUI Task Force, like all Forsyth County Police Officers, has received a minimum of 16 hours of DUI training in the police academy. They have even received a grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, including three new Ford Explorers. Most Forsyth County DUI Task Force officers trained have received an additional 24-hour standardized field sobriety course endorsed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Our experienced Forsyth County DUI lawyers have received the same DUI field sobriety training as the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Deputies. Some Forsyth County DUI Task Force officers have received additional DUI training, such as ARIDE (Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement) or DRE (Drug Recognition Expert). Anyone arrested for a DUI in Forsyth County will be brought to the Forsyth County Jail for processing. All Forsyth County DUI Task Force officers are certified by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to operate Georgia’s breath testing instrument, the Intoxilyzer 9000.

My DUI charge is in Forsyth County State Court; what is the court process?

Once your case is in Forsyth County State Court, the Forsyth County Solicitor’s Office prosecutes your DUI case.  The current elected Solicitor General of Forsyth County is William “Bill” Finch. Generally, in Forsyth County State Court, two prosecutors are assigned to each courtroom, although other prosecutors may assist in a courtroom on any given court day. Two elected Forsyth County State Court Judges preside over misdemeanor DUI cases: Chief Judge Russell McClelland and Judge James Dunn. Your case will be assigned to a judge once your case is filed with the Forsyth County Court Clerk’s Office. The assigned judge typically will preside over your case until a final resolution is reached in most cases; however, during the jury trial weeks, both state court judges may assist the other and preside over criminal jury trials. Also, an additional judge may be brought in to assist presiding over trials.  

If your case was sent to Forsyth County State Court from Cumming Municipal Court to preserve your right to a jury trial, or your case began in Forsyth County State Court, sometimes the facts of a particular Forsyth Driving Under the Influence charge may be best suited for a “bench trial” (a trial where the judge decides the case instead of a jury). Sometimes, a bench trial is a sound strategy; sometimes, it is not. There are many times when a jury trial is the best possible option to avoid a Driving Under the Influence conviction in your Forsyth County DUI case – especially if the prosecution refuses to negotiate an acceptable resolution in your case in Cumming Municipal Court or state court.

How our skilled Forsyth County DUI lawyers build a successful DUI defense:

If you have a DUI, you may ask how a lawyer can successfully defend your charge in Forsyth State Court. Our Forsyth County DUI lawyers know how to challenge a DUI case. Mr. Sullivan is a former prosecutor trained and certified in Standardized Field Sobriety evaluations through the Conyers Police Department and the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. He also received training on the Intoxilyzer’s operation and limitations.

We investigate your DUI by receiving your officer’s videos and reports.

Part of our investigation into the facts of our client’s Forsyth DUI charges is getting videos of the stop and arrest of our client. One of the benefits of investigating a Forsyth County DUI arrest is that most Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department patrol vehicles are equipped with video and audio. Their video equipment has features similar to those of a DVR or TVO, which many people have at home for their TVs. Their video equipment continuously records but will only preserve something once the officer manually activates the recording or activates their emergency equipment (lights). Then, the video will be preserved between 30 and 60 seconds before activation, and typically, Forsyth DUI officers will run their video until their investigation is complete. Some will run their videos until they reach the jail. Our DUI lawyers in Forsyth County obtain videos through the discovery process with the Forsyth County Solicitor’s Office.

How do we build a successful defense in your DUI case in Forsyth? 

To build an intense Driving Under the Influence defense in Georgia, our Forsyth County DUI lawyers start by learning everything possible about your case from you. Based on this information, our Forsyth County DUI attorneys can search for more favorable evidence by using specialized resources as needed to determine if all testing and other details of your Forsyth DUI arrest were accurate and legal. This forms the basis for a solid drunken driving defense in Georgia. We collect information, videos, 911 calls, possible surveillance videos, police reports, and documents on road/scene conditions. There are times when we even use the services of toxicologists, accident reconstructionists, private investigators, breath test/field sobriety experts, medical professionals, and video illustrators, to name a few, to help build a solid defense in your Forsyth County DUI case. Our Forsyth DUI lawyers analyze a case from the initial stop or reason why the police were involved, look for suppression issues with the admissibility of field sobriety tests or state chemical tests (breath, blood, or urine tests), and develop strategies in how to conduct best administrative license suspension hearings, preliminary/committal motion hearings, and trial. This approach ensures we thoroughly defend your Forsyth County Driving Under the Influence charges.

Can I represent myself to Driving Under the Influence and avoid hiring an experienced Forsyth DUI defense lawyer?

There is a saying that “a person who represents himself has a fool for a client.” DUI cases are one of the most severe cases that are prosecuted in Cumming Municipal Court or Forsyth County State Court. It is not a good idea to represent yourself to defend your charges or enter a guilty plea for driving under the influence. If you fight your DUI charges by yourself, you will not know what defenses to look for. Even if you think you are guilty and may not want to fight your case all the way, there are matters that a skilled Forsyth County DUI defense lawyer is better able to handle than someone representing him or herself. Here are some reasons why you may consider hiring our Forsyth County DUI attorneys rather than representing yourself:

• You might have a defensible DUI case! Experienced Forsyth County DUI lawyers are better at finding defenses and properly navigate your case to avoid a DUI conviction in Forsyth State Court.
• You can jeopardize your driving privileges if you go to court and enter a guilty plea to your Forsyth County DUI, or have DUI Child Endangerment charges in addition to your DUI.. If you were arrested by a Forsyth County DUI Task Force officer, you should have been notified of an administrative license suspension action. Enter a guilty plea without adequately addressing the license suspension action. You will not be able to get a limited permit (if you are eligible to get one at all) until the suspension action is conducted correctly.
• If your license is suspended for refusing the Forsyth DUI officer’s chemical test from losing a license suspension hearing or failing to address a license suspension action within 30 days from the date of your arrest, your Georgia driver’s license or driving privileges will be suspended for a year with NO PERMIT. Properly coordinating and handling the Forsyth County Driving Under the Influence charges, along with the license suspension action, can improve your chances of being able to drive.
• Other charges besides your Forsyth County DUI charge, like Vehicular Homicide, Hit and Run, Fleeing and Attempting to Elude, or felony drug charges may be more severe and carry more punishment than the DUI charge itself.
• Sometimes, the prosecutor gives a bad plea offer. Even if you decide not to contest your case, an experienced Forsyth County DUI defense attorney familiar with Forsyth County State Court or Superior Court can assess a plea offer to determine if it is worth taking or rejecting and decide to take your case to trial.
• A nolo contendere plea will not save a license suspension in your Forsyth DUI case and still counts as a conviction – the same as a guilty plea or guilty verdict after trial. 
• If you decide to represent yourself at trial, the Georgia Rules of Evidence still apply. Lawyers go to law school for years to learn these rules, and you will be at the mercy of a skilled prosecutor and judge if you are not careful.
• Some DUI officers in Forsyth County will seek blood search warrants in serious cases. You will not know how to challenge the admissibility of a blood test from a search warrant.

What happens if I have an Administrative License Suspension action in my Forsyth County DUI case?

IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE WHILE YOUR FORSYTH COUNTY DUI CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE PENDING IN COURT

Besides your Forsyth County DUI criminal case pending in Cumming Municipal Court or State Court in Forsyth County, you are likely facing a DUI administrative license suspension action. There is only a limited time to request this separate hearing that the Office of State Administrative Hearings conducts to preserve your driving privileges. We suggest contacting our experienced Forsyth County DUI lawyers today to discuss this process. Whether you refused your Forsyth County DUI officer’s chemical test or the breath test results indicated an alcohol concentration above the legal limit, Georgia law requires your Forsyth County DUI officer to serve you notice of an administrative license suspension. Suppose a Forsyth County DUI officer, Georgia State Patrol, or HEAT officer arrested you. In that case, you can be sure that the officer initiated an administrative license suspension action against you. The form that is used is called a DDS-1205 form. This form is either yellow or white; the officer may have had you sign it. Sometimes, this paperwork gets lost (you may have received it, but it may have been misplaced, or it may have been lost at the jail).

• Our Forsyth County DUI lawyers strongly suggest that you set up an online account with the Georgia Department of Driver Services to monitor the status of your driver’s license. 

Regardless of whether you have received a DDS-1205 form from your Forsyth County DUI officer or Georgia State Patrol, you need to understand that you only have 30 days to request a hearing to preserve your driving privileges or waive your hearing through the Georgia Department of Driver Services by opting for an ignition interlock device permit. 

Three tracks you can take [beware of choosing without the advice of an experienced Forsyth County DUI lawyer]:

1. Do nothing within 30 days of the date of your Forsyth County DUI arrest:

   In most cases, our Forsyth County DUI lawyers do not recommend doing anything within 30 days of the date of your Forsyth County DUI arrest. If you do nothing and your Forsyth County DUI officer or Georgia State Patrol officer initiates an administrative license suspension action, then on the 46th day after the date of your Forsyth County Driving Under the Influence arrest, the Georgia Department of Driver Services will automatically suspend your driving privileges for one year with no permit to drive. Even if you did not receive the DDS-1205 form from your Forsyth County DUI officer, our Forsyth County DUI lawyers still recommend that you take action instead of doing nothing. However, there are limited circumstances where we recommend our clients do nothing regarding a license suspension action, but those circumstances are rare.

2. Request an administrative license suspension hearing in your Forsyth DUI case.:

   The traditional track is to request an administrative hearing. This path has been the law for many years, except there are thirty days instead of ten business days to take action. This track is where a request for an administrative hearing is submitted to the Georgia Department of Driver Services challenging the Forsyth County officer’s decision to administratively suspend your driver’s license for testing above Georgia’s “per se” legal limit for alcohol concentration or for refusing the Forsyth County DUI officer’s request for a state-administered chemical test of your breath, blood, urine, or other bodily substances.  An important note: the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department and Georgia State Patrol always show up at administrative hearings and will not withdraw a license suspension action unless there is a negotiated plea with the solicitor’s office. Experienced DUI lawyers in Forsyth County know how to effectively navigate this process. Call us today at 404.816.8777 

3. Properly waive your right to an administrative license suspension hearing in your Forsyth County DUI case and have an ignition interlock installed:

   This track came into effect on July 1, 2017. This allows the first Driving Under the Influence arrest in five years for Georgia licensed drivers to properly waive their right to an administrative hearing and have an ignition interlock installed. This will allow you to drive in Georgia and fight their Forsyth County DUI criminal case without losing the privilege to drive. It comes with a cost, of course. It involves waiving your right to an administrative hearing through the Georgia Department of Driver Services. You would need to install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle for a minimum of 120 days if you tested over the “per se” legal limit or one solid year of having the ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle (and driving under the confines of an ignition interlock permit) if you refused the officer’s request for a state-administered chemical test. If you choose this track, we highly advise installing the ignition interlock by a registered provider first, then going to DDS within 30 days of the Forsyth DUI arrest to obtain the permit. There are obvious concerns and pitfalls in choosing this track and our experienced Forsyth County DUI lawyers can explain the pros and cons of this option.  For many, the stigma of having the ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle is not worth it. The ignition interlock device is expensive, requiring installation and monthly monitoring fees. And if you remove it while under your ignition interlock permit, tamper with it, or it tests positive, your permit to drive may be revoked for six months – meaning no driving at all. In addition to waiving your right to an administrative hearing and having an ignition interlock device installed on your vehicle, you must also meet the following conditions:

• An Application for the permit must be made with DDS within 30 days of the person being served notice of the ALS by the Forsyth County DUI arresting officer through the DDS-1205 form (usually 30 days from the date of arrest) or—in the event of a DDS-1205S form—within 30 days of receiving such notice of the ALS from DDS (from a blood test result that was not procured by a search warrant);
• The ALS cannot stem from a motor vehicle accident involving fatalities or serious injuries;
• A driver must be licensed in Georgia and not have any other suspensions, cancellations, or revocations against their Georgia driver’s license;
• If the driver holds a Georgia commercial driver’s license (CDL), they must downgrade to a non-commercial Georgia driver’s license to obtain and maintain the permit;
• A driver cannot have any prior convictions for DUI in the 5 years preceding the application for the permit. If there is a Driving Under the Influence arrest with a DUI conviction within 5 years of the current Forsyth County DUI arrest, the person can still opt for track 2 – requesting an administrative hearing, or track 1 – do nothing at all;
• The person must surrender their Georgia driver’s license, either to the arresting officer at the time of arrest or to DDS before issuance of the permit; and,
• There is a $25.00 permit fee to the Georgia Department of Driver Services. 

The period during which a person must successfully maintain the ignition interlock device on their vehicle will depend on whether they consent to or refuse the state-administered chemical test requested by the Forsyth County DUI arresting officer. 

A person who consents to the state-administered chemical test and opts for the new permit will be required to successfully maintain the ignition interlock device on their vehicle for 4 months. Suppose they are subsequently acquitted of the underlying Forsyth County DUI charge, or the underlying Forsyth County Driving Under the Influence charge is dismissed or reduced. In that case, the ignition interlock device may be removed at no cost, and the driver’s license may be replaced. A person who refuses the state-administered chemical test and opts for the new permit will be required to successfully maintain the ignition interlock device on their vehicle for 12 months, regardless of the outcome of the underlying Forsyth County DUI charge.   

Successful maintenance of the ignition interlock device must be evidenced by the permit holder to DDS by producing satisfactory monthly monitoring reports before DDS removes the ignition interlock restriction from the permit. A permit may be renewed for a fee of $5.00 if additional time is needed for the permit holder to comply with the terms of the ignition interlock device. Still, it may only be renewed one time once the permit holder becomes eligible to reinstate their driver’s license. Following the designated term of successful compliance, the ignition interlock device restriction may be removed from the limited driving permit in person at a DDS customer service center for a fee of $100.00 (or $90.00 if removal of the restriction is requested by mail or other approved alternate means). The removal fee is in addition to any reinstatement fee that may be required.

Please call 404.816.8777 today to discuss your Forsyth County DUI case with our experienced defense lawyers. Our dedicated Forsyth County DUI lawyers are experienced in contesting Forsyth County Driving Under the Influence cases and handling license suspension actions. We can review your case and prepare a strategy for your DUI criminal case and your license suspension action.

So, I correctly requested a license suspension hearing in my Forsyth County DUI case. What happens next?

The license suspension action is a civil action separate from your Forsyth County Driving Under the Influence criminal charges. It only deals with your license or privilege to drive in this state. The license suspension action is litigated by a separate court from your Forsyth County DUI criminal case. Once the Georgia Department of Driver Services processes your request for a hearing, your case is sent to the Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSAH), where a hearing will be scheduled before an OSAH judge. Typically, a hearing date with OSAH is roughly 60 days from your arrest in Forsyth County for Driving Under the Influence. Once a hearing is requested, the Department of Driver Services will extend your driving privileges until an order is entered from an OSAH judge.

The scope of the Forsyth DUI license suspension hearing is minimal:

At a license suspension hearing, the judge has a minimal role in deciding your case. The judge is bound by law to only look at certain statutory factors to determine whether those were met. That is it. The judge does not look at your criminal or driver’s history. The judge is not concerned about your job, transportation issues with your children’s school or daycare, or any other hardship you may have if your license is suspended. The judge’s only role in a license suspension hearing is to determine if the following factors were met:

• Whether the Forsyth County DUI law enforcement officer had reasonable grounds to believe the person was driving or in actual physical control of a moving motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and was lawfully placed under arrest for violating Code Section 40-6-391 (the DUI statute); or
• Was the person involved in a motor vehicle accident or collision resulting in serious injury or fatality and
• Whether at the time of the request for the test or tests the Forsyth County DUI officer informed the person of the person’s Implied Consent rights and the consequences of submitting or refusing to submit to such test; and
• Did the person refuse the test; or whether a test or tests were administered and the results indicated an alcohol concentration of 0.08 grams or more or, for a person under the age of 21, an alcohol concentration of 0.02 grams or more or, for a person operating or having actual physical control of a commercial motor vehicle, an alcohol concentration of 0.04 grams or more; and
• Whether the test or tests were properly administered by an individual possessing a valid permit issued by the Division of Forensic Sciences of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on an instrument approved by the Division of Forensic Sciences or a test conducted by the Division of Forensic Sciences, including whether the machine at the time of the test was operated with all of its electronic and operating components prescribed by its manufacturer correctly attached and in good working order, which shall be required. A copy of the operator’s permit showing that the operator has been trained on the particular type of instrument used and one of the original copies of the test results or, where the test is performed by the Division of Forensic Sciences, a copy of the crime lab report shall satisfy the requirements of this subparagraph.

How is the OSAH license suspension hearing conducted in my Forsyth DUI case?

Like other court proceedings, the OSAH judge will enforce the Georgia Rules of Evidence in your DUI license suspension hearing. It is critical that a skilled Forsyth County DUI lawyer  Because the burden is on the Forsyth County DUI officer to establish that the statutory factors were met, the Forsyth County DUI officer testifies first. Some jurisdictions, like Forsyth County, allow the officer to have help from the prosecutor’s office (the prosecutor’s office appears at the administrative hearings), or if the officer is a Georgia State Trooper, an attorney paid by the State of Georgia assists the officer on direct examination. The Forsyth County DUI officer is then subject to cross-examination. Sometimes, we may place our clients or witnesses on the stand for direct examination. Our witnesses would then be subject to cross-examination from the other side. Once the testimony and presentation of the evidence are finished, each side can make a closing argument. The judge will then decide the decision typically within five business days and transmit it to the parties and the Georgia Department of Driver Services, which will post it on their website. If there is an error in how the judge ruled, an appellate process is available to review the court’s decision.

What happens if I win the DUI license suspension hearing in my Forsyth County DUI case?

Suppose the OSAH judge finds that one or more of the applicable statutory factors above are unmet (you win the license suspension hearing). In that case, the judge will issue an order reversing the suspension action, transmit it to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, and then Georgia DDS will delete the license suspension action from your driver’s history (no administrative license suspension) and your driving privileges will be reinstated pending the outcome of the criminal case. This does not mean that the Forsyth County DUI criminal charges are being dismissed, but a license suspension hearing can be a great tool to gain an advantage in your Forsyth County DUI criminal case.

What happens if I lose my DUI license suspension hearing in my Forsyth County DUI case?

Suppose the judge finds that all applicable statutory factors were met by a preponderance of the evidence (a lower standard of proof than beyond a reasonable doubt), and you lose your DUI license suspension hearing in your Forsyth County DUI case. In that case, the judge will issue an order affirming the license suspension action and transmit the order to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, suspending your license. Again, your license may be suspended because the burden on the Forsyth County DUI officer is too low to meet in these hearings. However, our Forsyth County DUI lawyers may still be able to gain an advantage in your Forsyth County Driving Under the Influence criminal case based on testimony from the hearing. The decision can be appealed if the judge commits a ruling error.

Can I handle the license suspension hearing in my Forsyth County DUI case?

It is not a good idea to handle this critical hearing by yourself. Because a license suspension action from a Georgia DUI arrest is a very complex subject that even many lawyers don’t understand, we strongly encourage you to contact us right away to discuss your arrest for Driving Under the Influence in Forsyth County. Too many variables can impact your driving privileges, which are to be discussed here without knowing the specific facts of your case and your prior criminal history. Remember, you only have 30 days to request a hearing through the Georgia Department of Driver Services.

How much does it cost to hire a DUI lawyer in Forsyth County?

One of the most common questions lawyers receive is how much it costs to hire a DUI lawyer in Forsyth County? There is a wise saying: you get what you pay for. It may not be such a bargain if you get quoted a low fee for representation in a DUI case in Forsyth County. You get what you pay for. If you pay for a cheap lawyer, you will regret it in the long run. It happens too often when inexperienced lawyers could have represented their clients better in court. If you read the material above, you understand a lot of effort is involved in investigating and defending a DUI.  Reviewing videos, police reports, toxicology reports, and transcripts takes much time. A competent DUI lawyer in Forsyth County must thoughtfully review and prepare a DUI case in Forsyth County.  Legal research, properly addressing motions to suppress state evidence, negotiations to avoid a DUI conviction, and careful trial preparation are critical to a successful defense. This research, planning, and preparation takes time, resources, and money.  We are happy to discuss your case with you and give you the cost of hiring our firm to effectively defend your DUI charges in Forsyth County. Give us a call at 404.816.8777

A warning to drivers and boaters:

As a warning to drivers in Forsyth County and boat operators on Lake Lanier, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) annually conducts its Belts and Jackets campaign over the Memorial Day weekend; this past summer, the boater safety campaign was conducted in conjunction with National Safe Boating Week that ran over the memorial Day holiday, The Operation Dry Water campaign runs annually over the Fourth of July weekend for Lake Lanier.  This year, Operation Dry Water ran from July 4 through July 6. Because of the number of deaths on Lanier this year, DNR actively patrols on the lake through Labor Day weekend. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) also targeted drivers with its 100 Days of Summer Heat, Click It or Ticket, and other sober driving campaigns conducted throughout the year. Georgia State Patrol and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department enforced several sober driving campaigns from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend. Operation Zero Tolerance ran from June 24 through the Fourth of July holiday. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign ran from August 14 through Labor Day and will again run from mid-December through New Year’s Day.  GOHS has activated area H.E.A.T. units, including Forsyth County, to patrol for impaired drivers during significant events and holidays. The Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) issued a press release that seventeen people were killed in Thanksgiving Day holiday period crashes. Also, there were 425 DUI arrest. We have seen multiple Forsyth County Sheriff Patrol vehicles stationed on Georgia 400 each night looking for speeders and impaired drivers during the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign that is currently running through New Year’s Day

The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS), NHSTA, and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office are active on social media. Here are posts on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (Georgia GOHS)  to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and to use a sober driver.

Driving impaired is not just illegal , it can be deadly. If you feel different, you drive different. Drive high, get a DUI. #drivesober pic.twitter.com/1og1NXC9p3

— Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (@gohsgeorgia) December 13, 2024

If you are facing a Forsyth County DUI charge, a license suspension action, or have been ticketed for a serious traffic offense, contact our experienced Forsyth County DUI lawyers today. We’ll be able to meet with you to talk about your options and give you advice based on our experience in the court, where your case will be heard. Contact us at 404.816.8777.

Map of the Forsyth County Courthouse location: