Trials in Georgia DUI Cases

Today’s DUI court calendars are always over-booked, and a DUI judge looks for every way to clear his or her calendar and end up with the DUI cases that have the most likelihood of being won. Judges are overworked, so they really appreciate a well-prepared DUI lawyer that won’t waste the court’s time. All of our well-known DUI attorneys have deep working relationships with local judges and prosecutors, and this professional respect works in your favor.

Early on, your DUI case will likely be assigned to a specific prosecutor or particular prosecutorial team. Each prosecutor has his or her own strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits. Some are warm and forthright, while others have a tendency to be distant and cold. Some readily release information, while others fight any release of the State’s DUI police evidence.

A well-seasoned DUI-DWI attorney will have tried DUI cases like yours against a particular prosecutor, maybe dozens of times. It may not be unusual for each prosecutor to use the same expert witnesses, use the same DUI trial techniques, even the same themes to their opening and closing statements. Many new prosecutors follow a printed script that they receive at a State prosecutors’ training facility.

It is not uncommon for a prosecutor who may have been assigned to handle your DUI case to have less than five years of experience. Despite having fewer years of experience, the prosecutor likely appears in front of your judge on a very regular basis. Repeated exposure to the judge often creates a distinct edge for the prosecutor. Some prosecutors, however, can aggravate judges, so your assigned prosecutor may NOT be a person whom the judge holds in high regard. However, it is unlikely that your prosecutor only tries DUI-DWI cases like your top DUI-DWI lawyer does. This may give an edge to your DUI attorney over the prosecutor.

Because of his or her experience trying cases against your assigned DUI prosecutor, your DUI lawyer’s knowledge of and experience with a particular prosecutor adds to his or her ability to make better recommendations to you about your DUI-DWI case. A prospective DUI jury trial against a skilled prosecutor, who is well respected by the judge and well-liked by juries, will affect the recommendation by your DUI attorney about seeking a trial. He or she may advise you that this prosecutor’s ability to handle jury trials effectively reduces your overall chance of success at trial.