Gov. Sonny Perdue signed HB 23 and SB 360 last week, which bans “engaging in wireless communication” while driving in Georgia. The law also bans 16 and 17 year olds from using cell phones while driving. What does “texting” mean: (more…)

Under a new law passed by the Georgia Legislature, a filing fee of $150 must now be paid when requesting a hearing on the administrative license issue. In Georgia, if you refuse to take the state chemical test of blood, breath ,or urine, or register above the legal limit(.02 for under 21s, .04 for commercial drivers, and .08 for over 21s), the officer can attempt to suspend your license administratively. If you do not send in a letter requesting a hearing within 10 business days, your license is automatically suspended.

Many folks have a hard time understanding the license suspension process in the first place. Now with the requirment of paying a fee for a hearing, the matter gets even more complicated.

University of Georgia redshirt freshman QB Zach Mettenberger was kicked off the team, according the today’s AJC. Apparently the dismissal stems from an incident earlier this year in the south Georgia town of Remerton. I will not speculate, but there has to be something more to this case than charges of minor in possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, obstruction of a police officer, and false id. Although many college police scare students into believing carrying a fake ID is a felony, in fact it is only a felony if the fake ID is presented to someone; hence the fake IDer has violated a law enacted after 911 that basically provides that we all must carry some proof (valid) of who we actually are.

Based on past criminal arrest involving Georgia players, either this is a change in philosophy for Mark Richt, or Mettenberger is involved in something very seriuos.

From today’s AJC:

The green band that wraps around Katherine Key’s cellphone is not for show.

For the Morgan County High School junior, it is a reminder: Don’t send text messages while driving.

In December, her friend and classmate Caleb Sorohan was killed in a traffic accident that occurred while he was texting.

On Thursday, Sorohan’s mother, sister and classmates — most wearing a tag with a photo of Caleb on it — watched the Georgia Senate pass a bill that would make texting while driving illegal and impose a $150 fine.

For teenagers, the bill would bar them from getting their Class C License on a second offense.

“I think the teenagers are starting to get it more than the adults,” said Sen. Jack Murphy (R-Cumming), who sponsored the bill. “Under this bill, it will now be against the law to text in Georgia while you are driving. The point of this bill is not punitive, it sends a message.”

Murphy’s bill is one of several that have been floating around the Legislature this session. With this traction — the bill passed unanimously amid loud applause — it now goes to the House.

Mandi Sorohan and her daughter, Alex, said they will return to Atlanta to watch the bill go through the House.

Alex Sorohan, 15, said her brother’s death has opened the eyes of her classmates in Morgan County — including many who routinely texted while driving.

Since her brother’s death, she said that more than 700 students in her high school have signed a pledge not to text while driving.

“This helps teens know that it is dangerous,” said Alex Sorohan, who organized a rally for her brother.

GWINNETT, GA, March, 2010 – In an effort to promote responsible drinking and the use of designated drivers, local attorney Mickey Roberts P.C., otherwise known as MR GA DUI, is footing the bill for free limo rides home from Arena Tavern in Duluth on Saturday, March 13 in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
The free limo service, provided by Atlanta VIP Ride, will be available from 8:30 to 12:30 a.m. and is limited to riders traveling within a 10 mile radius. A MR GA DUI representative will be located outside of Arena Tavern providing ride information and free giveaways, including MR GA DUI koozies, lighters, and bottle openers.
“As a DUI attorney, I see firsthand the serious consequences of driving under the influence and I want to do everything I can to promote drinking responsibly in our community,” said Mickey Roberts P.C., DUI attorney and fellow Gwinnett County resident. “The limo service I provide is a fun way to remind people of the importance of designating a sober driver and to encourage everyone to help make our roads a safer place to drive.”
Recently celebrating his 30th anniversary of practicing law in the Atlanta area, Mickey Roberts has served the local community not only as a defense attorney, but as a judge for the cities of Lilburn and Suwanee. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the Gwinnett County Bar. Since 1995, his law practice has been limited to aggressively defending persons wrongly accused of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, vehicular homicide, and other traffic related crimes.
MR GA DUI is located in Gwinnett County, but serves clients throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area including Duluth, Suwanee, Lawrenceville, Dacula, Cumming, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Sandy Springs, Braselton, Hoschton, Winder, Oakwood, Flowery Branch and Gainesville, along with all other cities within Gwinnett, North Fulton, Forsyth, DeKalb, Jackson, Barrow, Clarke and Hall County areas. Mickey Roberts also specializes in defense of teenage drivers’ traffic violations.
For more information on MR GA DUI visit www.mrgadui.com or read Mickey Robert’s blog at defendingdriversrights.com.

Did you see who the worst drivers are, according to insurance.com?

1. Attorney/Judge
2. Financial professionals
3. Government worker
4. Bartender or Waiter
5. Business Professionals
6. Dog Groomer
7. Marketing/Advertising professionals
8. Barber/Stylist
9. Coach
10. Nurse

According to the survey, 44% of lawyers and judges acknowledged prior accidents on their online auto insurance application. Doesn’t sound like a scientific survey to me. Maybe judges and lawyers are just more honest than other professions??

Under a State of Georgia Bar Policy Statement, any applicant who wants to sit for the Georgia Bar Exam is ineligiblefor fitness certification (meaning you can’t take the bar) during the 12 month sentence mandated by Georgia law. You are precluded from sitting for the Bar even if the DUI case was reduced to reckless driving for 6 months from the date of conviction. In its policy, the State Bar says “In the case of an applicant who was charged with DUI but for whom the charges were reduced, resulting in a reckless driving plea, failure to maintain lane or other lesser offenses, the Bar is concerned about disregard for the law as well as possible patterns of problems relating to alcohol abuse.” HUH??? So a person charged with DUI, who perhaps registered below a .08, whose case is reduced because the prosecutor (who knows more about the case?), somehow disregards the law? (more…)

I wanted to warn you of a troubling trend. Because of our poor economy, many lawyers who were previously handling, say, real estate or small business matters are delving into the DUI defense world. There are apparently some of these lawyers who obtain their clients from direct solicitation obtained from the jail dockets. I have heard from some clients that these lawyers are telling people up front that they will NOT go to trial; that their services are for guilty pleas only. (more…)

From today’s AJC:
A 19-year-old Lilburn man was hospitalized after crashing his Acura into a telephone pole while text messaging a friend.

Soheb Roy sustained head trauma from Friday morning’s collision at Arcado Road and Wayside Court in Lilburn. He was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center, where he’s believed to be in serious but stable condition, said Lilburn Police spokesman Bruce Hedley.

The impact was strong enough to snap the telephone pole in two, blocking the road for much of the day, Hedley said. Roy’s Acura was totaled.

Police plan to charge Roy with improper use of a cell phone while driving and failure to maintain his lane. Police say neither alcohol nor drugs were a factor in the crash.

I see where MADD of Georgia will be handing out their annual Law Enforcement awards in March. I have no problems with MADD recognizing police officers for their work, but as with many things a radical political group does, these awards are based on arrestsnot convictions.
MADD, of course, believes that anyone who is arrested for DUI is guilty(no due process for MADD), and that is why only the arrest numbers matter to MADD, not the convictions.

In talking with one of my State trooper friends, I asked him how some of the cops can have well over 200 arrests; simple: if they charge somone with DUI less safe and DUI per se, that is 2 DUI arrests, even though of course they can only be sentenced on one conviction.