Handling a DUI Case in Georgia (2021 Edition)

Lisa Wells | Lisa Wells LLC

Lisa’s experience as a criminal defense attorney began as a former Assistant District Attorney. Her prosecutorial experience gave her valuable insight before becoming a defense attorney. Her cases range from DUI’s to a full array of misdemeanors, felonies and limited federal crimes. Her office is in charming Marietta, in a quaint 100-year-old house that is inviting, comfortable and cozy for her employees and clients. Lisa is a graduate of Georgia State College of law and UNC-Chapel Hill.

She is recognized by clients and peers alike for her empathy, dedication, work ethic and results. She has been an invited guest on Law News Network and Court TV. Lisa is a board member on Sandy Springs Bar Association and is a member of the Georgia Assoc. of Criminal Defense Attorneys, Cobb County Bar Association and Lawyers Club of Atlanta. Lisa realizes when a client hires her, her client’s future feels like it is in her hands. Whether it is their freedom, their reputation or their income, Lisa fights for what is right and for their future.

Amanda Clark-Palmer | Garland, Samuel, & Loeb, P.C.

Amanda represents clients in both criminal and civil matters in state and federal court. Her practice primarily focuses on criminal defense, and she has experience defending all types of cases from DUI, to violent felonies, to white collar crime. She has appeared in federal courts in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, and Kentucky. She is admitted to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as the Court of Appeals of Georgia, and the Supreme Court of Georgia.

Matthew Myers | 7 Arrow Forensics

Matt Myers is the president of 7 Arrow Forensics and a seasoned consultant, instructor, and expert witness on the effects of drugs (including alcohol) on human performance. In addition to years of field law enforcement experience evaluating intoxicated suspects, Matt holds a master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Science from University of Florida College of Pharmacy, where his studies concentrated on clinical toxicology and the science of drug intoxication.

Matt has instructed all of the NHTSA sobriety testing curricula and developed custom presentations for a wide variety of legal professionals – ranging from law students, toxicologists, and police officers to judges and staff attorneys from appellate and supreme courts. He has lectured widely at local, state, and international conferences on matters of drug and alcohol impairment. As a consultant, Matt has served dozens of criminal and civil attorneys litigating matters of drug impairment, DUI crashes, sobriety testing, dram shop liability, and other related issues. He assists with behavioral reconstruction, test interpretations, assessment of procedures, and review of evidentiary sufficiency in relation to industry standards.

Willie Lamar Fields | Fields Law Firm, PC

Willie Lamar Fields is a graduate of the University of Georgia and John Marshall Law School. He is a member of all state and federal courts in Georgia and is a 41 year veteran of DUI defense. He has specialized in DUI defense for a number of years and has handled over 5000 cases during his career. He is a member of the National College of DUI Defense as well as the Georgia and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is a certified operator and maintenance technician of breath testing equipment used in Georgia and is also certified as an administrator of Standardized Field Sobriety Test.

Session I – Client Interview: Information Gathering, Written Fee Agreement, DOL Hearing, and Ascertaining the Client’s Goal | 12:00pm-1:00pm
I. Interviewing the prospective DUI client | 12:00pm-12:20pm
II. Counseling the prospective DUI Client | 12:20pm-12:40pm
III. Setting expectations for the prospective client | 12:40pm-1:00pm

Break | 1:00pm-1:10pm

Session II – The Basics of DUI Science: Foundation, Breath Tests, Blood Tests, When is Alcohol “In the System”?, and “Standardized” Field Sobriety Tests | 1:10pm-2:10pm
I. Overview of Standardized Field Sobriety Testing | 1:10pm-1:30pm
II. Considerations in Blood and Breath Alcohol Tests | 1:30pm-1:50pm
III. Extrapolation of Alcohol Concentration and/or Dose | 1:50pm-2:10pm

Break | 2:10pm-2:20pm

Session III – Court Process: Arraignment, Discovery, Pre-trial Conferences, and Motions to Suppress | 2:20pm-3:20pm
I. An overview of the general court process from arraignment through sentencing | 2:20pm-2:40pm
II. Motions that are typically pertinent in a DUI case | 2:40pm-3:00pm
III. Recent case law development that is relevant to motions to suppress | 3:00pm-3:20pm

Break | 3:20pm-3:30pm

Session IV – The DUI Trial: Common DUI defenses, Voir Dire, Opening Statement, Direction Examination, Working with Experts, Cross Examination, and Arguments | 3:30pm-4:30pm
I. Overview of Georgia DUI Law | 3:30pm-3:45pm
II. Essentials of client intake and first steps in DUI cases | 3:45pm-4:00pm
III. What to ask for, when and how in discovery | 4:00pm-4:15pm
IV. Winning voir dire and trial strategies | 4:15pm-4:30pm