A DUI arrest opens a criminal case and a separate license suspension case, each with its own rules. Let the 30-day window pass and the suspension sticks on its own. We take on both — call before that deadline runs.
A DUI arrest in Hiram sets two separate problems in motion at the same time. There’s the criminal case, which can mean jail, fines, and a permanent record. And there’s the administrative side with the Georgia Department of Driver Services, which can take your license before you ever see a courtroom. Most people don’t realize the second problem has a hard 30-day deadline until it’s too late.
At J. Ryan Brown Law, we defend people charged with DUI in Hiram and throughout Paulding County. We handle both sides of the case from the start so neither one gets away from you.
Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391, you can be charged with DUI in Georgia in more than one way. The state does not have to prove a specific blood alcohol number to convict you.
You can be charged if:
That “less safe” language matters. In Hiram and across Paulding County, prosecutors regularly pursue DUI cases based on an officer’s observations, field sobriety tests, and other evidence, even when the breath or blood test comes back under the limit or when no test was taken at all.
Fulton County Superior Court
Handles felony criminal cases in Georgia’s busiest court system.
Carroll County Superior Court
Handles felonies and serious criminal matters in Carroll County.
Coweta County Superior Court
Presides over felony charges and major criminal cases.
Heard County Superior Court
Handles felony-level criminal cases and grand jury indictments.
Meriwether County Superior Court
Oversees serious criminal cases for Meriwether County.
Troup County Superior Court
Handles felony prosecutions and criminal court matters.
Here is the single most important thing to understand about a DUI arrest in Hiram. When you were arrested, the officer likely took your license and gave you a temporary permit. That paperwork started a 30-day countdown.
Within those 30 days, you (or your attorney) must either:
If you do nothing within 30 days, your license is suspended automatically. This happens regardless of what occurs in your criminal case. You could later win the DUI outright and still lose your license for months simply because the 30-day window passed. This is one of the most common and painful mistakes people make after a DUI arrest.
A first DUI in Georgia is a misdemeanor, but the consequences are serious and lasting:
A second or third DUI within a ten-year window brings escalating penalties, including longer license suspensions, mandatory jail time, ignition interlock requirements, and public notice. A fourth DUI within ten years becomes a felony under Georgia law.
Beyond the courtroom, a DUI conviction raises your insurance dramatically, can cost you your job, and stays on your driving record permanently in Georgia. There is no expungement for a DUI conviction here.
A DUI charge is not a conviction. These cases have more moving parts than most people expect, and each part is a place where the state’s case can break down. Our defense examines every one.
The traffic stop. An officer needs a valid legal reason to pull you over. If the stop was not supported by reasonable suspicion, everything that followed may be subject to suppression under the Fourth Amendment.
The field sobriety tests. These tests are supposed to follow standardized procedures. When they are given on uneven pavement, in poor lighting, in bad weather, or to someone with a medical condition or injury, the results become unreliable. We scrutinize how the tests were administered and scored.
The breath test. Georgia’s breath testing instrument has to be properly maintained and calibrated, and the officer has to follow a required observation period before the test. We request the maintenance and calibration records and look for procedural errors that undermine the result.
The implied consent notice. Georgia law requires officers to read a specific implied consent notice at the right time. If the notice was not read, was read incorrectly, or was given at the wrong point in the arrest, the chemical test results may be challenged.
The blood draw. If your case involved a blood test, the chain of custody, the qualifications of the person who drew the blood, and the handling of the sample all matter. We examine each link.
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In Georgia, reckless driving is not automatically a lesser-included offense of DUI. A reduction happens only when the prosecutor agrees to it. That agreement usually comes when the defense has identified real weaknesses in the state’s case.
A reduction from DUI to reckless driving is a meaningful outcome. It avoids the automatic license suspension, does not count as a prior DUI if you are ever charged again, and carries far less stigma on your record. Whether a reduction is possible depends on the specific facts, which is why a thorough review of the evidence matters so much.
Hiram sits in Paulding County, one of the fastest-growing counties in Georgia, with a busy court system to match. DUI cases here move through the Paulding County court system, and knowing how local prosecutors evaluate cases, what diversion options exist, and how the judges handle DUI matters is part of building a defense that works.
We handle DUI cases throughout Hiram, Dallas, and the rest of Paulding County. From the first appearance through resolution, we prepare each case as if it is going to trial, because that preparation is what creates leverage for a better outcome.
The steps you take in the first days after an arrest can shape the entire case:
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The 30-day license deadline does not wait, and the sooner a defense attorney is involved, the more options you have on both the criminal and administrative sides of your case. Waiting only narrows what can be done.
J. Ryan Brown Law defends DUI clients in Hiram and across Paulding County. We will review your arrest, address the license deadline, and build a defense around the facts.
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