Coweta County DUI Lawyer – Coweta County DUI Attorney
Top Reasons to Choose The Law Offices of Richard Lawson
Accomplishments
Many of our clients' cases are reduced to a charge that has lesser consequences attached to it than the original charge. Some cases are even dismissed. While we cannot promise anyone a particular outcome, we do promise to give every client our knowledge, experience, and excellent customer service. We are the top-rated DUI Defense firm in metro Atlanta and throughout Georgia. Check out our reviews on Avvo to see why and contact us for your best defense. Â
Knowledge
Our founder, Richard Lawson, is a former Georgia prosecutor with over 25 years of experience in DUI law. He knows both sides of your DUI case and what to expect. He has trained other defense attorneys on how to defend Coweta County DUI cases.
Compassionate Care
We value the confidence our clients place in us and our work. You may be scared and confused after your Coweta DUI arrest, and worry what will happen next. Our Coweta County DUI Attorneys understand, and will be with you to guide you at each step and keep you abreast of what next to expect. We truly care about each and every client and will stop at nothing to assist you in getting your life back in order, while keeping your privilege to drive intact.
Education and Training
Richard Lawson is a graduate of prestigious Emory Law School in Atlanta, Georgia and has taught many seminars on how to defend DUI cases. He and his team of skilled DUI Lawyers in Coweta County are all trained on breath testing machines and field sobriety testing. In fact, they received the same training as law enforcement officers! They know how these tests are administered and how they can be flawed.
Experience
For over 25 years, Richard Lawson has defended individuals who have been arrested and charged with DUI in Coweta County. He often gives other attorneys advice on how to handle DUI cases. He and his team of Coweta DUI Attorneys have represented thousands of clients in DUI cases and Administrative License Suspension Hearings.
30-Day Warning!
If you have been arrested for DUI in Coweta County or anywhere in Georgia, you only have thirty days to request an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) Hearing or request an ignition interlock device. If your Coweta County DUI Lawyer fails to file a hearing request or a request for an interlock device with the Georgia Department of Driver Services, your license can be suspended for one year. The State of Georgia assesses a fee of $150 to file the hearing request.
What Types of Cases Does Your Office Handle?
At The Law Offices of Richard Lawson, we only handle DUI and DUI-related cases—no "general practitioners" here! We specialize in the area of DUI defense because of its complexity, ever-changing laws and punishments. If you need skilled, experienced legal defense for your Coweta County DUI charge, look no further. If you need a Coweta County Attorney to handle your divorce or other legal matter, it is best to look elsewhere for legal representation.
The First Step to Fighting Your Coweta County DUI Case: Choosing the Best Attorney
You will no doubt be faced with many decisions to make during and after your DUI arrest. However, none of them is as important as choosing the right Coweta County DUI Lawyer. You would not want an inexperienced medical doctor giving you advice on your health and wellbeing. Do not trust your valuable future to an inexperienced lawyer.
Attorneys can choose to specialize in certain areas of law, just as some medical doctors are specialists in their field. You cannot expect a "general practitioner" attorney who provides a variety of legal services to have the knowledge and experience needed to defend DUI cases. Georgia DUI laws are complicated and ever-changing. Therefore, you need a Coweta County DUI Attorney who focuses exclusively on DUI and DUI-related cases.
Searching for the right Coweta County DUI Lawyer can be a daunting process when you have never before needed legal representation. First of all, never hire an attorney you are not comfortable with or feel is not giving you their full attention over the phone or in a face to face consultation. Secondly, you should not choose any lawyer you feel would represent you in an unethical way.
Possibly the most important thing to consider when looking for qualified Coweta County DUI Attorneys is their experience and credentials. It is wise to look for a lawyer who is a member in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia, and who has graduated from an accredited and respected school of law.
Additionally, a qualified Coweta DUI Lawyer is a lawyer who attends DUI-specific training and other education so that they can stay current with the changes (and many challenges) of DUI defense.
The Two Kinds of DUI Defense Attorneys: Court Escorts and Fierce Defenders
The Escort attorney will show up (or not) to court to stand beside you in court and will keep asking for continuance after continuance until you get so frustrated you will just want to plead guilty so you can move on with your life. This attorney will do no investigating on his own; they will likely just go with what the police report says. The Escort attorney will not challenge any scientific evidence against you, most likely because they do not understand any of it. The Escort attorney charges a low fee, and, as a result, has to take on a lot of cases. Since the Escort lawyer has lots of cases, most of your phone calls to their office will go unreturned. The Escort Lawyer will not think creatively about how to resolve your case or any possible defenses. Later, when your court date is near, the Escort attorney will show you the police report (which is biased against you)and tell you that your case is hopeless, and you should just plead guilty. Then, at court, your Escort attorney will accompany you in front of the judge and allow you to plead guilty; which you could have done yourself (but is not advised) without an attorney.
The Defender is quite different from the Escort. When you watch this attorney in action during court proceedings, you can see that you have made the right choice. The Defender may seek continuances, but they will always have a strategy behind it each time. This attorney knows all about DUI law and knows all the players involved, from the judge, prosecutor, and more than likely, the police officer. If this Coweta County DUI Lawyer cannot get your charges dismissed or reduced, they will prepare for an aggressive battle to defend you in court. Your Defender will be well-prepared, with the knowledge and skill to fight for you and protect your rights.
How Do I Know Your Firm Can Meet My Needs?
Each of the Coweta County DUI Attorneys at The Law Offices of Richard Lawson is a Defender. If you are facing a charge of DUI, you need a Defender to protect your rights, not an Escort to stand merely next to you in court while you plead guilty.
Keeping Your Driving Privileges
Most of us would be greatly affected if we lost our privilege to drive on the roadways of Georgia. If you cannot drive due to a license suspension, even simple things like getting to work or school become impossible.
Knowledge is Power: What You Should Know About DUI Consequences
Knowledge not only is power, but in the case of a charge of DUI, it also gives a sense of relief. Knowing what to expect, what can happen to your license, what to wear (and not wear) to court; will give you back a sense of control over your life. At The Law Offices of Richard Lawson, our Coweta County DUI Lawyers give their clients the power of knowledge.
Basic Things You Should Know
There are two legal proceedings that follow an arrest for DUI in Georgia:
- An administrative action by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) to suspend (or even revoke) your driver's license; and
- A criminal case in one of the criminal courts in Coweta County, Georgia that could result in jail time, fines, and other harsh consequences.
COURT PROCESS IN COWETA COUNTY GEORGIA
Where your arrest occurred determines which court will have jurisdiction over your misdemeanor DUI case. For example if you were arrested inside the city limits of an incorporated city, your case would begin in that city's municipal court.
Newnan Municipal Court
If you were arrested in the City of Newnan, you need a Newnan DUI Lawyer to represent you in Newnan Municipal Court. Court is held each Wednesday at 2 PM at the Newnan Police Department Uniform Division at 1 Joseph-Hannah Boulevard, Newnan, Georgia 30263. The municipal court judge is George C. Rosenzweig. Call (770) 254-2355 for more information. Â Hire a competent DUI Attorney in Newnan as soon as possible!
Senoia Municipal Court
If your misdemeanor DUI arrest occurred in Senoia, contact a Senoia DUI Attorney to represent you in Senoia Municipal Court. Court is held Thursdays at 9:00 AM at 505 Howard Road, Senoia, Georgia 30276. The municipal court judge is Sharon Pierce, and the Court Clerk is Alyson Leveillard. Contact (770) 599-3256 for further information.
Casual attire is acceptable for court; however, shorts, tank tops, hats, stocking caps, or toboggans are prohibited. Also not allowed in court are small children, cell phones or other electronic devices, backpacks or large purses, or food, drink, or smoking. Â Call our office for a consultation with a DUI Lawyer in Senoia. Â
Grantville Municipal Court
If you were arrested for DUI in the City of Grantville, do not hesitate to contact a Grantville DUI Lawyer to defend you in Grantville Municipal Court. Grantville Municipal Court Judge is Lisa R. Reeves, and Diane Littleton is the Clerk of Court. Court is held at 123 LaGrange Street, Grantville, Georgia 30220. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM until 5 PM; however, the office closes for lunch each day from 12 PM until 1 PM. Call (770) 583-2255 for further information.  An experienced DUI Attorney in Grantville will lead you and your case in the right direction.
Palmetto Municipal Court
Contact a Palmetto DUI Lawyer to represent you in Palmetto Municipal Court as soon as possible if you are arrested within the city limits of Palmetto for misdemeanor DUI. Court is held the first Tuesday of each month at 401 Carlton Road, Palmetto, Georgia 30268. Judge Russell T. Ross is the Chief Municipal Judge, and H. Clay Collins is the associate judge. Aretha Huff is the Clerk of Court. Call (770) 463-9068 for further information. Â Call us for a free consultation with a DUI Attorney in Palmetto.
Coweta State Court
If you were arrested for misdemeanor DUI in an unincorporated area of Coweta County, or if you would like a trial by jury, your case would go through Coweta State Court. Coweta State Court judges are Chief John Herbert Cranford and Seay VanPatten Poulakos. Sheila Echols is the Clerk of Court. Court is held at the Coweta Justice Center at 72 Greenville Street, Newnan, Georgia 30264. Call (770) 254-2699 for more information.
Coweta Superior Court
All felony DUI cases must go through Coweta Superior Court. The Clerk of Superior Court is Cindy G. Brown. Court is held at 72 Greenville Street, Newnan, Georgia 30263. For more information, please see the Superior Court Clerk's website.
Coweta County is part of the Coweta Judicial Circuit along with Carroll, Heard and Meriwether counties. The Superior Court judges are:
Honorable A. Quilian Baldwin, Jr.
Chief Judge of Superior Court
P O Box 1364
LaGrange, Georgia 30241
(706) 883-1633
Honorable Dennis T. Blackmon
Coweta Judicial Circuit
P O Box 338
Carrollton, Georgia 30117
(770) 830-5871
Honorable John T. Simpson
Coweta Judicial Circuit
311 Newnan Street, 3rd Floor
Carrollton, Georgia 30117
(678) 390-6206
Honorable L. Jack Kirby
Coweta Justice Center
72 Greenville Street
Newnan, Georgia 30263
(770) 683-0424
Honorable William G. Hamrick, III
Coweta Judicial Circuit
P O Box 338
Carrollton, Georgia 30112
(678) 390-6236
Honorable Emory L. Palmer
Coweta Judicial Circuit
72 Greenville Street
Newnan, Georgia 30263
(770) 683-0491
Honorable W. Travis Sakrison
Coweta Judicial Circuit
72 Greenville Street
Newnan, Georgia 30263
(770) 683-0498
Honorable L. Jack Kirby
Coweta Justice Center
72 Greenville Street
Newnan, GA 30236
Honorable William G. Hamrick III
Coweta Judicial Circuit
P. O. Box 338
Carrollton, GA 30112
678 390 6236
Honorable Emory L. Palmer
Coweta Judicial Circuit
72 Greenville Street
Newnan, Georgia 30263
Coweta County DUI Resources