Experienced Milton DUI Lawyers

Our experienced Milton DUI lawyers are available to speak with you about your Milton DUI case anytime, including after-hours, weekends, and holidays! Mr. Sullivan can discuss your DUI criminal case and license suspension action. 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 refusal to submit to a blood test at the trial court, the prosecution appealed, and the case is now in the Georgia Supreme Court. Many pro-defense appellate rulings may impact the prosecution of your case. Call Chestney & Sullivan today: 404.816.8777

Charged with  Driving Under the Influence in Milton? 

Being arrested for a DUI in Milton can be a stressful experience. We understand what you are going through. If you have been charged with Driving Under the Influence in Milton, experienced DUI trial attorney James “Skip” Sullivan can discuss your case anytime – including after-hours and weekends! Mr. Sullivan is a former prosecutor. Our experienced DUI trial attorneys defend Driving Under the Influence charges in Milton Municipal Court. We offer a free in-office consultation on how we can effectively defend your City of Milton DUI charges. Call us today at 404.816.8777. We are prepared to fight to avoid a DUI conviction either in Milton Municipal Court or in Fulton County State Court. Milton Municipal Court moved to a new location at 13690 Highway 9, Milton, GA 30004. The City of Milton Police Department is located in the same complex. We appear in Milton Municipal Court regularly. Judge Brian Hansford is the Chief Judge of Milton Municipal Court, although other judges may sit on the bench from time to time. The solicitor (prosecutor) of your Milton DUI case is Kelsie Speight. 

I want a trial in my DUI case, can I have a trial in Milton Municipal Court?

Milton Municipal Court is a “limited jurisdiction” court, meaning that they do not have jury trials there. Suppose you want a judge to decide your Milton DUI case at trial. In that case, that is called a “bench trial,” where the prosecution has the burden to prove each element of an offense beyond a reasonable doubt, and a judge decides if the prosecution has met its burden. Sometimes, a “bench trial” is a sound strategy; sometimes, it is not. If a bench trial is requested, the solicitor will bind your DUI case to Fulton State Court as they do not try DUI cases in Milton Municipal Court. 

My case is transferred to Fulton State Court for trial, what happens next?

A jury trial is often the best option to avoid a DUI conviction on your Milton DUI case. Because the Milton Municipal Court does not conduct jury or bench trials in DUI cases, your case must be transferred to Fulton County State Court, located in the Fulton County Justice Center, for trial. Fulton State Court currently has ten state court judges. Your case will be assigned to one of the ten judges once the Fulton State Court Solicitor files your case with the Fulton County State Court Clerk’s Office. Because each State Court judge handles their caseloads differently, Milton DUI lawyers must know how each courtroom operates. The current elected Fulton County Solicitor General (prosecutor) is Keith Gammage. Our Milton DUI lawyers try cases in Fulton County regularly. Because our primary practice area is Fulton County, and we frequently contest DUI cases in Fulton County State Court, we are very familiar with the judges and prosecutors handling your case.

How our skilled Milton DUI lawyers build a successful DUI defense:

Our Milton DUI defense attorneys know how to challenge a Milton DUI Task Force case. We are trained in Standardized Field Sobriety Evaluations. Mr. Sullivan was certified in Standardized Field Sobriety evaluations by SFST instructors with the Conyers Police Department and Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. One of the benefits of a Milton DUI case is that most of their 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 equipment continuously records but will only preserve something once the officer manually activates the recording or activates his emergency equipment (lights). Then, the video will preserve somewhere between 30 and 60 seconds before activation, and typically, Milton DUI police officers will run their video until it is turned off when they reach the jail or their final destination. Videos are obtained or viewed through the court process.

To build a strong DUI defense in Georgia, your Milton DUI attorney should start by learning everything possible from the information you present. Based on this information, they can find more evidence using specialized resources to determine if your Milton DUI arrest testing and other details were accurate and legal. This determination is the basis for a solid drunken driving defense in Georgia. We gather information such as videos, 911 calls, possible surveillance videos, police reports, documents, and road/scene conditions. There are times when we 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 DUI defense in your case. Our experienced Milton DUI attorneys 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 effectively ensures we have covered all the bases when defending your Milton DUI.

Can I enter a guilty plea and avoid hiring an experienced Milton 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 prosecuted in Milton Municipal Court or Fulton County State Court. It is not wise to enter a guilty plea and avoid hiring an experienced Milton DUI defense lawyer. Even if you think you are guilty and may not want to fight your case all the way, there are matters that a skilled Milton DUI lawyer is better able to handle than someone representing him or herself. Here are some reasons why you may consider hiring us rather than representing yourself:

• You can jeopardize your driving privileges if you go to court and enter a guilty plea. If a Milton DUI Task Force officer has arrested you, 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 Milton 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 Milton DUI criminal charges and the license suspension action can improve your chances of being able to drive.
• Other charges besides your Milton DUI charge 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 Milton DUI attorney who is familiar with Milton Municipal Court and Fulton County State Court or Superior Court can assess a plea offer to determine if it is worth taking or moving your case to state court, or you may decide to take your case to 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.

Administrative License Suspension

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

Besides your criminal case pending in Milton Municipal Court, you are likely facing an administrative license suspension. There is only a limited time to request this separate hearing to preserve your driving privileges. The Office of State Administrative Hearings conducts license suspension hearings in DUI cases. If you have been charged with a DUI in Milton, chances are your officer served you with a notice of a license suspension action. If you were arrested by Milton DUI Task Force Officers or Georgia State Patrol, you can be sure that your officer served you with a notice of a license suspension action. Whether you refused your Milton DUI officer’s chemical test or the breath test results indicated an alcohol concentration above the legal limit, Georgia law requires your Milton DUI officer to serve you notice of a license suspension action. The form that is used is called a DDS-1205 form. This form is either yellow or white; the Milton DUI 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).

• We 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: https://dds.georgia.gov/online-services

Regardless of whether you have received a DDS-1205 form from your Milton DUI Officer, 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 Milton DUI lawyer]:

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

   In most cases, we do not recommend this path because if you do nothing and your Milton DUI officer initiates an administrative license suspension action, then on the 46th day after the date of your Milton DUI arrest, your driving privileges will automatically be suspended by Georgia Department of Driver Services for one year with no permit to drive. Even if you did not receive the DDS-1205 form due to your Milton DUI arrest, we still recommend that you take some 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 hearing:

   This is the traditional track that has been the law for many years now, 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 Milton DUI 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 your Milton DUI officer’s request for a state-administered chemical test of your breath, blood, urine, or other bodily substances. A $150 filing fee is made payable to the Dept. of Driver Services for DDS to process the hearing request. 

3. Properly waive your right to an administrative hearing in your Milton DUI case and install an ignition interlock.

   This track took effect on July 1, 2017. This allows the first DUI arrest in five years for drivers to be able to drive in the state of Georgia and fight their Milton 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 will 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 Milton DUI officer’s request for a state-administered chemical test. If you choose this track, we highly advise installing the ignition interlock first and then going to DDS within 30 days from the date of arrest to obtain the permit. There are obvious concerns and pitfalls in choosing this track. For many, the stigma of having the ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle is not worth it. The ignition interlock device is also expensive: it requires 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 administrative license suspension (ALS) by the Milton 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;
• The person must be licensed in Georgia and not have any other suspensions, cancellations, or revocations against their Georgia driver’s license;
• If the person 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;
• The person cannot have any prior convictions for DUI in the 5 years preceding application for the permit. If there is a DUI arrest with a DUI conviction within 5 years of the current Milton 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 Milton DUI officer at the time of arrest or to DDS before issuance of the permit; and,
• The person must pay a $25.00 permit fee to the Georgia Department of Driver Services. 

The period a person must successfully maintain the ignition interlock device on their vehicle will be based on whether they consent to or refuse the state-administered chemical test requested by the Milton 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. If they are subsequently acquitted of the underlying Milton DUI charge or the underlying DUI charge is dismissed or reduced, 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 Milton 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.

As the title of the ignition interlock device limited permit suggests, there are limitations on where you can drive while on the IID permit:

• Going to their place of employment or performing the regular duties of their occupation;
• Receiving scheduled medical care or obtaining prescription drugs;
• Attending a college or school at which they are regularly enrolled as a student;
• Attending regularly scheduled sessions or meetings of treatment support organizations for persons who have an addiction or abuse problems related to alcohol or other drugs, which organizations are recognized by the commissioner;
• Attending under court order any driver education or improvement school or alcohol or drug program or course approved by the court which entered the judgment of conviction resulting in suspension of his driver’s license or by the commissioner;
• Attending court, reporting to community supervision, juvenile probation, or Article 6 of Chapter 8 of Title 42 probation office, reporting to a community supervision officer, county or Department of Juvenile Justice probation officer, or probation officer serving according to Article 6 of Chapter 8 of Title 42, or performing community service;
• Transporting an immediate family member who does not hold a valid driver’s license for work, to obtain medical care or prescriptions, or to school;
• Attending any program, event, treatment, or activity ordered by a judge presiding in an accountability court, as such term is defined in Code Section 15-1-18; or
• Conduct monthly monitoring visits with the permit holder’s ignition interlock device service provider.

Contact us today at 404.816.8777 to discuss your Milton DUI case with our experienced DUI defense lawyers. Our dedicated Milton DUI lawyers are experienced in fighting DUI charges and license suspension actions. We can review your case, prepare a strategy for your criminal case, and save your license.

So, I properly requested a hearing in my City of Milton DUI case. What happens next?

The license suspension action is a civil action separate from your Milton DUI criminal charges and only deals with your license or privilege to drive in this state. A separate court from your Milton DUI criminal case litigates the license suspension action. 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, where a hearing will be scheduled before an OSAH judge. Typically, a hearing date is set roughly 60 days from the date of your arrest. 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 DUI license suspension hearing is minimal:

At a hearing, the OSAH 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 OSAH judge’s only role in a license suspension hearing is to determine if the following factors were met:

• Whether your Milton 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
• Whether the person was 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 Milton 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
• Whether the person refused 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 license suspension hearing conducted?

Like other court proceedings, at a license suspension hearing the judge will enforce the Georgia Rules of Evidence. Because the burden is on your Milton DUI officer to establish that the statutory factors were met, your Milton DUI officer testifies first. Some jurisdictions allow the officer to get help from the prosecutor’s office, or if the officer is a Georgia State Trooper, an attorney paid by the State of Georgia assists the officer in direct examination. Your Milton DUI officer is then subject to cross-examination. Sometimes, we may decide to place our clients or other 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 typically decide within five business days and transmit that decision to the parties and the Georgia Department of Driver Services. 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 hearing?

Suppose the OSAH judge finds that one or more of the applicable statutory factors above are unmet. In that case, the judge will issue an order reversing the suspension action and transmit it to the Georgia Department of Driver Services (you win the hearing). Then, the Georgia DDS will delete the license suspension action from your driver’s history. This does not mean that your Milton DUI criminal charges are being dismissed, but a license suspension hearing can be a great tool to gain an advantage in your Milton DUI criminal case.

What happens if I lose my hearing?

Suppose the OSAH 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 hearing. 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, which will then impose the license suspension. Again, your license may be suspended because the burden on the Milton DUI officer is too low to meet in these hearings. However, we still may gain an advantage in the Milton DUI criminal case based on testimony from the hearing. The decision can be appealed if the judge committed an error in a ruling.

Can I handle the hearing myself in my Milton DUI case?

Because a license suspension 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 Milton DUI charges. it is not a good idea to handle the hearing yourself. 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 an administrative hearing through the Georgia Department of Driver Services.

Warning to drivers:

As a warning to drivers, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety annually conducts sober driving campaigns, including the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over program and other sober driving initiatives. Georgia State Patrol annually enforces its 100 Days of Summer H.E.A.T and Operation Zero Tolerance campaigns from mid-May through Labor Day. Operation Zero Tolerance runs from the latter part of June through the July 4 holiday. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety mobilizes enforcement for major outdoor festivities, concerts, holidays, and significant events.  Here are recent posts from Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS):

Imagine having to tell your friends, family and workplace that you got a DUI… Talk about embarrassing! #DriveSober or Get Pulled Over. pic.twitter.com/UE2kBngYJs

— Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (@gohsgeorgia) November 1, 2024

Call our experienced Milton DUI lawyers today:

If you are facing a Milton DUI charge, a license suspension action, or have been ticketed for a serious traffic offense, call our experienced Milton 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 today at 404.816.8777.

Map of the City of Milton Municipal Court location: