Bartow County DUI Attorney

If you were arrested for DUI in Bartow County, whether in Cartersville, Adairsville, Emerson, Euharlee, Kingston, White, or along I-75, you are facing two cases at once: the criminal DUI charge and a separate administrative license suspension (ALS) case over your driver’s license. The license case has a 30-day deadline that starts at arrest. Sessions & Fleischman defends DUI cases throughout Georgia, and Ben Sessions is board certified in DUI defense by the National College for DUI Defense.

Where Bartow County DUI Cases Are Heard

Most Bartow County DUI cases are prosecuted in the State Court of Bartow County, which sits with the Superior Court at the Bartow County Courthouse, 135 W. Cherokee Avenue, Cartersville. Arrests by city police may begin in a municipal court, such as Cartersville Municipal Court. People arrested in the county are usually booked at the Bartow County Jail at 104 Zena Drive in Cartersville. If a family member has been arrested, the first step is usually getting them released on bond; after that, the 30-day license deadline becomes the priority.

Penalties for a DUI Conviction in Georgia

Georgia DUI penalties increase with each prior conviction. A first offense carries a minimum of 24 hours and up to 12 months in jail, a fine of $300 to $1,000, community service, DUI school, and a clinical evaluation. A second offense within 10 years carries a mandatory minimum of 72 hours in jail. A third within 10 years is a high and aggravated misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum of 15 days. Judges have discretion within these ranges, and the facts of the case matter. For details, see:

Protecting Your License in the First 30 Days

Within 30 days of arrest, you generally have to choose between requesting an ALS hearing and, in some cases, waiving the hearing for an ignition interlock permit. If you refused testing, read DUI test refusal and implied consent. If you drive for a living, read DUI and your CDL. For drivers under 21, see under-21 DUI. The full timeline is in what to do in the first 30 days after a DUI arrest.

What We Look at in Every DUI Case

Every case in our office starts with the evidence gathered at the roadside. First, was there a lawful reason for the stop? Common reasons include failure to maintain lane, headlight violations, speeding, driving too slowly, or a crash. We compare the officer’s report with the video and ask whether the alleged driving actually indicates impairment. We also identify which officer made the stop, because the stopping officer and the arresting officer are not always the same person, and their accounts do not always match.

From there, we review:

The HGN (eye) test, walk-and-turn test, and one-leg-stand test, and whether they were given and scored according to NHTSA standards;
The breath test or blood test, including how it was collected and whether GBI requirements were met;
Whether the correct implied consent notice was read at the right time; and
What evidence the State will rely on and what can be challenged at a motions hearing.

Talk to a DUI Lawyer About Your Bartow County Case

Call (470) 225-7710 for a free case review. We will explain how the Georgia DUI process works, what to expect in Bartow County, and what can be done about your license before the deadline. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. For our statewide DUI practice, visit our Georgia DUI lawyer page.