DUI Gainesville

GAINESVILLE DUI LAWYERS

Our Gainesville and Hall County DUI lawyers at the Towe Law Firm are available 24 / 7 to discuss your case.  Just call us at 404.993.9172, and you will be able to speak with an experienced DUI attorney directly, not a secretary or paralegal. If you are charged with a DUI in the City of Gainesville or Hall County, our experienced Gainesville DUI lawyers and Hall County DUI lawyers at the Towe Law Firm will fight diligently and aggressively to defend you every step of the way.

We are experienced in handling cases in both the Gainesville Municipal Court as well as the State Court of Hall County. We are experienced DUI attorneys, devoting most all of our practice to DUI and related charges that often accompany DUI charges.  We know the Georgia court system well and practice regularly in both the Gainesville Municipal Court and the Hall County State Court.  We know many of the judges and prosecutors in both of these courts as well as the police officers and state troopers who are dedicated to the DUI task forces in Gainesville and Hall County.

Through our relationships and experience, we have been able to maneuver through the Gainesville and Hall County court system and consistently negotiate favorable decisions for our clients.  View our recent success stories here.  When a trial is necessary, we vigorously and aggressively fight for a favorable jury decision.

If you were charged with DUI, and the officer gave you a 30-day temporary license and notified the Department of Driver Services of your DUI arrest, then you have only TEN BUSINESS DAYS from the date of your arrest to send a letter to request an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Hearing to try to save your Georgia driver’s license from being suspended.  Otherwise, your Georgia driver’s license will be suspended once your 30-day temporary license expires.   This suspension could be for a full year and could leave you WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING A LIMITED DRIVING PERMIT.  You can request a free “10 Day Letter” to be emailed to you here:  10 Day Letter Request Page.  Or if you prefer, our firm will send in this “10-day” letter for you for free.  You only need to provide us with the necessary information and pay the $150 fee that the State of Georgia requires for submitting a request for an ALS Hearing.

We offer you a FREE consultation by phone or in person to discuss your DUI case.  If you call our firm, you will speak with an experienced Gainesville DUI attorney directly.  We will not hand you off to some junior attorney with whom you have never spoken. We will handle all aspects of your very important case personally. You deserve total representation from the experienced attorney with whom you consulted and hired, not from a junior associate.

We wish to highlight the seriousness of this DUI charge and importance of speaking with a Gainesville DUI attorney and Hall County DUI attorney.  Regardless of how hopeless you think your case may be, you owe it to yourself to discuss your case with an experienced Gainesville attorney / Hall County attorney.  We are passionate about working hard to get a favorable result in every case we take on.  Call us at 404-993-9172 now to set up an appointment at your convenience.  You have nothing to lose by calling and potentially a lot to gain.  We look forward to hearing from you and helping put your mind at some ease during this difficult time of yours.

GAINESVILLE MUNICIPAL COURT

From Gainesville Municipal Court website:

Municipal Court

Many fines may be paid online.
Please reference the documentation below for instructions.

Gainesville Municipal Court is located at 701 Queen City Parkway SW, Gainesville, Georgia 30501. Misdemeanor criminal cases and City ordinance violations are processed through Municipal Court.

If you have recieved a citation in the City of Gainesville . . .

Georgia law considers this an arrest for a traffic infraction, even though you were not taken to jail. To properly dispose of this citation, you have two options:

Option 1- Pay Your Fine

You may pay your fine either online (see below for instructions) or at City of Gainesville Traffic Bureau/Municipal Court and not appear in court to contest the citation. This will be considered a guilty plea. Online payments must be made by 5:00 pm the day prior to your court date; in person payments must be paid at least one hour prior to the time and date listed on the citation. Once you pay the fine, you do not have to appear in court. Your driving history will reflect a conviction for the offense(s) with which you were charged. If your case was designated “Court only” by a Police Supervisor, you MUST appear in court. Municipal Court is located at 701 Queen City Parkway SW, Gainesville, Georgia, 30501. The officer is not allowed to quote a fine amount. You must call Gainesville Traffic Bureau/Municipal Court (770) 531-2668 or inquire online (see below for instructions) for this information. Please allow three business days before calling for a fine amount or attempting to pay your fine online.

You may also mail your fine to Gainesville Traffic Bureau/Municipal Court, but please mail seven days prior to your court date, to ensure it is received on time. Send Money Orders only. No cash or checks. The mailing address is: Gainesville Municipal Court, 701 Queen City Parkway SW, Gainesville, GA 30501.
If you fail to pay your fine or appear in court, a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest. This will add an additional $100.00 to your fine. In addition, your Driver’s License may be suspended.

Option 2 – Appear in Court to Pay or to Contest your Citation

If you elect to appear in court to pay or contest your citation, you must appear in court on the date and time listed on the citation. Once the citation is issued, the officer is not allowed to revoke it; only the Municipal Court Judge is allowed to dispose of it.

Once in court, your name will be called and you will be asked to plead Guilty, Not Guilty, or in some cases, Nolo Contendre. If you plead Guilty or Nolo, the Judge will sentence you that day. If you plead Not Guilty, you will be given a trial date. On that date, you and the officer will be allowed to tell “your side of the story.” Please bring any evidence or witnesses with you at that time. If you have an attorney, make sure he/she knows your court date.

Neither a Police Officer nor Municipal Court Personnel are allowed to advise you on how you should handle your case in court. If you need assistance, contact an attorney.

You are not allowed to change your court date via phone. Requests to change a court date must be made in person at the Municipal Court Office. Municipal Court personnel may only reset your court date one time; additional change requests must be made in open court. You must appear in court on the date you were given OR have your attorney appear for you. Also, your court date cannot be changed on the actual day of court. Again if you have questions, contact Gainesville Traffic Bureau/Municipal Court at (770) 531-2668.

Courtroom Rules

  • There is a dress code in Municipal Court. Casual or business dress is suggested. Shirts and shoes are required, and excessively short shorts, halter-tops, or hats of any kind are not allowed.
  • Weapons are not allowed in the courtroom (including small pocket-knives).
  • Cellular phones or pagers are allowed in the courtroom.
  • Follow all instructions given to you by the staff.

Online Payment and Online Inquiry

You may inquire and/or pay your fine online by going to www.gainesville.org. Click on the “I Want To” tab at the top of the home page, and then select “Pay Traffic Citation” or “Pay Court Fines”.  Please have your citation number or driver’s license number available. A 4% convenience fee is added to online payments. Please allow at least three days from the ticket issue date before attempting to make your payment online.

Fines must be paid online by 5:00 pm the day prior to your court date. Some offenses do not qualify for online payment, and the system will not accept payment on such infractions.

Your payment made online will result in the recording of a guilty plea, and your driving history will reflect a conviction for the offense for which you were charged.

Please call (770) 531-2668 if you have further questions regarding payment of your fine.

HALL COUNTY STATE COURT (from website)

Courthouse Hours: 8:00am – 5:00pm, M-F
225 Green Street, S.E., Gainesville, Georgia 30501


Judicial Offices
 Clerk of the Courts 770.531.7025
 Court Administration 770.532.1895
 District Attorney 770.531.6965
 Elections 770.531.6945
 Juvenile Court 770.531.6927
 Law Library 770.535.9285
 Magistrate Court 770.531.6912
 Probate Court 770.531.6925
 Misdemeanor Probation Office 678.997.2403
 Felony Probation Office 770.535.5710
 Public Defender’s Office 770.718.5523
 Solicitor of State Court 770.531.7012
 State Court
     Judge Wynne’s Office 770.531.7007
     Judge Roberts’ Office 770.718.5143
     Judge Baldwin’s Office 678.450.3720
 Superior Court
     Judge Fuller’s Office 770.531.6862
     Judge Deal’s Office 770.531.6996
     Judge Gosselin’s Office 770.531.6990
     Judge Oliver’s Office 770.297.2333
 Treatment Services 770.536.3837
Quick Links by Subject
 Courthouse Parking
 Adoptions 770.531.7032
 Birth & Death Certificates 770.531.5674
 Divorce Decrees 770.531.7042
 Divorce & Legitimation Forms 770.531.2463
 Marriage Licenses 770.531.6921
 Notary Public 770.531.7025
 Passports 770.531.7045
 Real Estate Records & Deeds 770.531.7058
 Traffic Violations 770.531.7065
 Weapon License 770.531.6921
 Wills 770.531.6921

 

ADMINISTRATIVE LICENSE SUSPENSION HEARING If you have been arrested for DUI and blew over the legal limit for someone of your age and drivers license class, then the law requires that the arresting officer give you a temporary license (8.5 x 11 yellow paper).  This temporary license is known as form DS-1205 and also acts to serve notice to you that your license will be suspended 30 days from arrest unless you send in $150 to the Georgia Department of Drivers Services requesting an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Hearing.

An ALS Hearing is a civil action taken by the State of Georgia to try to suspend your license before the adjudication (resolution) of your criminal DUI case.  The administrative license suspension case is an important and, frequently, a critical part of your DUI case. The hearing upon the administrative license suspension action can provide valuable information in the defense of your Georgia DUI charge. With the filing of a request for hearing within 10 days from the date of arrest, your driving privileges are extended beyond the 30 days, which your temporary permit is valid for. The administrative license suspension case can play a crucial role in how you proceed in the criminal portion of your DUI case.

If you received a yellow 30-day temporary license and your license was confiscated, then you have only TEN BUSINESS DAYS from the date of your arrest to send a letter to the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety to request an administrative license suspension (ALS) hearing to try to save your license from being suspended. Otherwise, your license will be automatically suspended once your 30-day temporary license expires. This suspension could be for a full year and could leave you WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING A LIMITED DRIVING PERMIT.

Our firm will send in this 10-day letter for you for free. You only need to provide us with the necessary information and pay the $150 fee that the State of Georgia requires for submitting a request for an ALS hearing. If you prefer to mail in the letter yourself, you can request this  “10 Day Letter” for free. This “10 Day” Letter contains all of the elements needed to preserve your rights to an ALS hearing.

The strategy on how to handle an ALS Hearing is important, as it can dictate how your criminal DUI case proceeds.  Our Gainesville DUI attorneys and Hall County DUI attorneys know the strategies and tactics necessary to provide you with solid advice on how to proceed with your ALS Hearing.  We will review your case thoroughly and decide on the strategy that best suits your individual and unique case.  Contact the Towe Law Firm at 404.993.9172 to discuss your DUI case and ALS case with experienced DUI attorneys.

In the overwhelming majority of the ALS Hearing cases that the Towe Law Firm has handled, we have been able to prevent our clients’ licenses from being suspended at the hearing.  Therefore, you will be in great hands if we handle your case.  Call us at 404.993.9172 to for a free consultation on your DUI and ALS cases today.

Click Here To Request The 10 Day Letter