CDL DUI Defense Lawyer Suwanee & Gwinnett County

CDL DUI Attorney In North Georgia

We serve clients with their CDL throughout Gwinnett County, Forsyth County, Hall County, Barrow County, Jackson County, and Dawson County.

Your Commercial Driver’s License DUI Attorney

Commercial drivers who are convicted of DUI in Georgia face severe consequences, including a license suspension, administrative fines, and possible jail time. At Banks, Stubbs & McFarland LLP, we focus our practice on DUI defense and know how to protect commercial drivers against DUI charges.

If you hold a commercial driver’s license and are facing a DUI charge, we will work to protect your driving privileges, your livelihood, and your freedom.

Commercial Driver’s Licenses in Georgia

In Georgia, operating a commercial motor vehicle requires you to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Under state law, a commercial vehicle is defined as a vehicle designed or used to transport passengers or property. Examples of commercial vehicles include:

• Vehicles that weigh 26,001 or more pounds
• Vehicles designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver
• Vehicles that transport certain hazardous materials as defined by federal law

Recreational vehicles, vehicles operated by the military, and agricultural vehicles are not considered commercial motor vehicles in Georgia.

Commercial Drivers and Georgia DUI Laws

In Georgia, the legal limit for a typical driver’s blood alcohol concentration is .08 percent. The legal blood alcohol limit for commercial drivers is lower, however. A person may not be in actual physical control of a moving commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .04 percent or more. When a CDL holder is driving a non-commercial vehicle, however, the legal blood alcohol limit is .08 percent.

Penalties for a Commercial Driver’s License DUI

Holders of commercial driver’s licenses face additional penalties than typical drivers when convicted of a DUI. Penalties for a commercial driver’s license DUI may include the following:

• A commercial driver’s license suspension
• Administrative fees and penalties
• Additional criminal penalties
• Inability to work as a commercial driver for 1 year or more

Additional Penalties for Commercial DUI in Georgia

Typically, a first-time DUI conviction is a misdemeanor. A first time DUI conviction can lead to the following consequences in Georgia:

• Between 24 hours and 12 months of jail time
• A fine of between $300 and $1,000
• 40 hours of community service for offenders over the age of 21
• 20 hours of community service for those 21 and younger with a BAC under .08 percent
• Completion of a DUI Alcohol or Drug Risk Reduction Program
• When recommended, clinical evaluation and treatment
• Probation lasting up to 12 months

With every subsequent commercial DUI conviction, the penalties become more severe and stringent. Even though a second commercial DUI conviction is still considered a misdemeanor, the penalties are more severe.

A third commercial DUI conviction is an aggravated or high misdemeanor. Finally, a fourth commercial DUI conviction is a felony with serious consequences, including significant jail time. This is why you need an experienced DUI defense attorney.

Our DUI Lawyers Fight to Preserve Our Clients’ Commercial Driver’s License

Under Georgia law, commercial drivers convicted of a DUI can become disqualified from operating a commercial vehicle for one year. Commercial drivers convicted of a second DUI can become disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for life.

Commercial drivers depend on their commercial driver’s licenses to make a living for themselves. Permanent loss of a commercial driver’s license often results in termination with their employer and necessitates a career change. Fighting a DUI offense as assertively as possible is essential so that commercial drivers can continue earning an income.

Refusal to Take a Chemical DUI Test as a Commercial Driver

Georgia, like most other states, has adopted an implied consent law. All Georgia drivers, including commercial drivers, must comply with the implied consent law or face the consequences.

By driving on Georgia’s roads, drivers give their implied consent to taking chemical DUI tests. The implied consent law states that commercial motor vehicle drivers have given implied consent to tests that measure their breath, blood, or urine.

The implied consent laws only apply to tests conducted to measure the driver’s blood alcohol concentration or tests that determine whether a person’s blood contains drugs.

Commercial drivers who refuse to submit to a chemical DUI test risk losing their license for one year. When Georgia does revoke a driver’s commercial license for failure to submit to a chemical test, drivers have a right to appeal the suspension.

Commercial drivers must act quickly and request a hearing within 30 days of the suspension. Commercial drivers who do not submit their request within the 30-day time frame lose their right to appeal their license suspension.

Speak with a Skilled DUI Attorney Today

Our Service Area

We are located in Suwanee Georgia, but we defend clients throughout Gwinnett County, Forsyth County, Hall County, Barrow County, Jackson County, and Dawson County. Contact our Suwanee law firm as soon as possible to learn how we advocate for your best interests.