Patrick Scott Ferris's Answers

What can I expect as an outcome for a first offense DUI in Georgia without a lawyer. (Final cost + Punishment)

Your position on hiring a lawyer is understandable. What is unfortunate is that this opinion is much more prevalent among people charged with their first lifetime DUI. The impression that many first-time DUI defendants seems to have is that it is unreasonable to pay several thousand dollars for an attorney when the maximum fine in Georgia for a fist DUI is $1,000.00. However, that $1,000.00 fine is only the beginning of the costs that a DUI conviction can cause. Most people are surprised...

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I was apprehended in a stadium and wasn'y on a roadway or shoulder. Shouldn't I be able to get the Judge to dismiss the charges?

This depends on the judge and the way that the prosecutor approaches the issue that you raise. The prosecutor can change the original charge to one that best fits the allegations in your case. You are entitled to notification of the charge that you will face in court prior to your trial. In lower courts, I have observed that some judges actually enter a conviction for a different criminal offense than the one charged if the allegations do not satisfy the requirements of the crime that is...

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What are the consequences for aiding and abetting a dui/dwi?

This is an interesting question. I practice in Georgia, where the intent element of DUI makes it virtually inconceivable that another individual could act as an accomplice. The reason that accomplice liability would be so difficult (if not impossible) for a prosecutor to establish in a Georgia DUI case is that in Georgia, the prosecutor must show that the accomplice had the same level of intent as the pricipal criminal actor. I would like to know how your case was resolved.

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If my license is suspended at ALS hearing when can I reinstate it?

There are two suspensions (one for as little as 30 days and one for as little as 120 days) for drivers who are over 21, who agreed to submit to a state-administered chemical test (usually either breath or blood), and who have no recent DUI suspensions. The "30 day" suspension is an administrative suspension. It is not truly a 30 day suspension. If driver's license is suspended administratively by DDS, and it is the driver's "first" suspension, the license may be reinstated after 30 days...

How many times in your life can you plead no contest in your life

I agree with Mr. Carini. You can plead nolo contendere as many times as you want, if the court accepts the plea. HOWEVER, there is an important "5 year" issue that you should be aware of. Most (but not all) moving violations result in "points" being placed on a person's driver's license. If a driver accumulates enough points, his license will be suspended. Under Georgia law, the advantage to entering a nolo plea in traffic cases is that a driver gets no points for a traffic violation...

In the state of Georgia, if I take a defensive driving class before court, could i possibly get the ticket dismissed?

The answer to your question depends on the practices of the court that has jurisdiction of your case. Some prosecutors that I regulalrly encounter will agree to reduce tickets for certain traffic offenses if I demonstrate that my client has completed a driving course.