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Does a second or third Georgia DUI mean jail time?

On Behalf of | Jul 20, 2022 | Criminal Law |

When a Georgia traffic stop ends up leading to a charge of driving under the influence, you may face a wide variety of serious consequences if that criminal charge results in a conviction. The penalties for even a first-time DUI in Georgia are harsh and include hefty fines, a loss of licensure and community service obligations, among others. Depending on the details surrounding your DUI arrest, you may also have to spend time in jail or prison after a drunk driving conviction.

Per the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, jail time is a possibility even after a first-time DUI arrest. You risk having to spend up to a year behind bars for a first-time DUI.

Jail time after a second Georgia DUI

If you receive a second DUI conviction in Georgia within five years of your first, you must spend time in jail or prison. In this scenario, you must spend at least 48 hours behind bars. You may, depending on the details of your offense, have to spend up to a year incarcerated after a second Georgia DUI.

Jail time after a third Georgia DUI

Your mandatory jail sentence becomes even longer if you get a third DUI within five years of your second. In this situation, you have to spend at least 15 days in jail. However, depending on circumstances, you may have to spend much longer behind bars following a third DUI conviction.

Other factors, such as whether you had minors in your car at the time of your arrest, may also impact your sentence and penalties after a DUI conviction.

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