Sobriety Checkpoints

Georgia DUI Law & Roadblocks

Sobriety checkpoints exist to let law enforcement monitor a particular intersection or road for drunk drivers. When conducted lawfully, sobriety checkpoints allow police officers to check a driver for the symptoms of drunkenness without needing to pull them over—thus legally getting around the “reasonable suspicion” requirement for drunk driving stops. However, officers still need probable cause to choose the location for the sobriety checkpoint.

• Checkpoints must also meet certain standards to be considered lawful:
• Must be announced in advance
• The location must be announced in advance
• The drivers must be treated equally—that is, the police cannot only check certain drivers

At Zeliff | Watson, a seasoned DUI lawyer has extensive knowledge regarding the rules that must be adhered to in a sobriety checkpoint and knows how to ascertain if your rights were violated. Proven strategies and proactive representation are what we promise you. Our approach is how we've become Georgia’s go-to law firm when people have been arrested for DUI.

Guidelines for Roadblocks in Forsyth County

If you were arrested at a DUI checkpoint, it’s because the police officer claimed to have probable cause to believe you had been drinking that evening. You would have been required to produce your license and registration, and you either failed the field sobriety test or the breathalyzer test. That, or you did the smart thing and asserted your right to refuse the field sobriety test. Even if you failed your breath or blood test, there are still grounds to fight your charges. An experienced Georgia DUI attorney can help you protect your rights and save you from a DUI conviction.

• Pertinent questions we always know to ask include:
• Was each car stopped at the checkpoint or were vehicles randomly selected
• Did the checkpoint have adequate lighting and signage
• Were cars backed up waiting for other vehicles to get through the checkpoint
• Did law enforcement wear vests and identifiable uniforms
• Under what exact circumstances was chemical testing for intoxication done

Our firm has defended hundreds of DUI cases and understands what it takes to win when a charge is based on a sobriety checkpoint stop.

Contact a DUI attorney if you have been arrested for DUI charges from a sobriety checkpoint stop. 

The following is a non-exhaustive list of courts we defend clients in:

• Fulton County Superior and State Courts
• Atlanta Municipal Court
• Alpharetta Municipal Court
• Milton Municipal Court
• Johns Creek Municipal Court
• Sandy Springs Municipal Court
• Doraville Municipal Court (Dekalb County)
• Suwanee Municipal Court (Gwinnett County)