Field Sobriety Tests

Our attorneys see it all the time. A driver is pulled over on suspicion of DUI, and the officer asks a number of questions: How much have you had to drink? License and registration current? Show me your insurance card. Step out of the car, and follow the light with your eyes. Where are you headed?

Depending on the officer’s observations, you might well be asked to blow into an Intoxilyzer 5000 or Intoxilyzer 9000, which theoretically shows your blood alcohol concentration. For adult drivers, a reading of .08 or higher is an automatic criminal offense; for underage drivers, a reading of .02 can support a conviction. What if you don’t submit to the breath test?

Call Jeff Rothman To Learn About Your DUI Defense Options In Refusal Cases

If you refuse the breath test, you can be arrested for DUI, but there won’t be any technical evidence of your blood alcohol concentration to support the charge. The prosecution will have to prove its case largely on the strength of the arresting officer’s field sobriety test and the observations noted in the police report.

Although we can’t guarantee results in any specific case, we can tell you that there are many ways to defeat a Georgia DUI case based on the administration of a field sobriety test. A frequent defense is showing that the arresting officer failed to administer the test correctly or in accordance with the legal standards.

We can also help you deal with the license suspension consequences of a refusal to submit to the breath test. We can protect your license in an administrative hearing, where we can also develop evidence that will help you in the criminal case.

We’re Not Here To Have You Plead Guilty — We’re Here To Win Your Case

Our lawyers have achieved much success at trial and in pretrial hearings on DUI cases based on field sobriety tests rather than breath tests. To learn how our experience with this aspect of DUI defense can help you, call 706-621-5166 or email Daniels & Rothman in Athens.