Sentencing

Unfortunately, and sometimes too frequently, a jury will come from its deliberations with an unfavorable verdict of "guilty." When that happens an additional step takes place shortly afterwards. While not mandated by law to occur immediately after trial, the sentencing of the defendant is commonly performed at that time. Being a misdemeanor, a pre-trial investigation of the defendant's background is not required. The solicitor will usually have the driver's traffic record and perhaps some additional criminal background records on hand for the judge to use as part of the determination of an appropriate and lawful sentence to be imposed in the case before the court. .

The state-mandated range of sentences for DUI is directly linked to the driver's number of previous DUIs. It is actually a very complex formula and, being so, it is not spelled out here.

It should be said that every level of sentences for DUI in Georgia involve mandatory jail, fines, some term of further imprisonment under terms of probation, defensive driving school and a minimum of 40 hours of community service. Being convicted of two or more DUI charges can result in significant time in jail, all of the above and heightened levels of drug and alcohol counseling and treatment along with tag confiscation of all family owned vehicles, and the placement of electronic ignition interlocking devices on vehicles with defined eligibility periods for driving privileges. All of these elements of punishment and deterrence are accompanied by varying terms of suspension of the license to operate a vehicle.