Athens Laws and Ordinances that Students Need to Know

Stephens & Brown , Athens Georgia’s premier DUI and criminal defense law firm , welcomes University of Georgia , University of North Georgia , Athens Technical College , and Piedmont College students back to Athens . The fall is an exciting time in Athens, with students returning to the city, and football season just around the corner. Former Bulldog All-American and criminal defense attorney Kim Stephens encourages incoming students to study, work hard, have fun, and be careful to avoid being arrested and forever branded as a criminal.

State laws and local ordinances :

• Athens has an open container ordinance , meaning it is illegal to consume alcoholic beverages outside in public spaces, even just outside of some bars and restaurants. The local police enforce the open container law year round, even on football game days on and off campus.
  
  
• If you are charged with possession of a false or fake ID, you may never be allowed to work in the banking industry because FDIC regulations prohibit banks from hiring individuals charged with crimes involving dishonesty, even if the charge is resolved with a Pretrial Diversion Program. We can help you avoid this situation and protect your future in the financial industry.
  
  
• If you drink alcohol and are under the age of twenty-one, you may be charged with Underage Possession of Alcohol, i.e. MIP , even if the police don’t perform any test to determine if you have been drinking. Local police departments in Athens do not arrest first time underage drinkers UNLESS another charge accompanies the MIP charge; but, the penalties and sentences in MIP cases can still be unduly harsh and burdensome and can result in you having a criminal record. You should always consult with an attorney before you go to court.
  
  
• If you are under the age of twenty-one and drive any vehicle after consuming alcoholic beverages, you may be charged with DUI . Even if you are lucky enough to avoid a DUI charge, your driver’s license would likely be suspended if you are charged with MIP while driving. Don’t put yourself or others at risk. Walk (preferably with a friend so that you won’t be a good candidate for being robbed or mugged), call a sober friend, have a designated driver, take a cab, or let Uber or Lyft help you. If you are charged with DUI you need an experienced DUI lawyer to protect your license and your future.
  
  
• If you are over the age of twenty-one and drive a vehicle (including bicycles, scooters, Segways, golf carts, horses, or any moving vehicle) with a blood alcohol level of .08, you will be charged with DUI in Athens. While television, radio and billboard advertisements call a DUI a $10,000.00 mistake, I have heard of a DUI conviction costing a person more than $200,000.00 because he lost his job, lost his company car, couldn’t find other work for over a year, almost lost his home, and suffered the more typical DUI penalties. DUI can have a severe impact on your life whether you are a college student or a working adult.
  
  
• If you drive a vehicle improperly (speeding, failure to maintain lane, etc.) after consuming alcohol or using drugs , you may be charged with DUI less safe even if you refuse the breath or blood test. Often police officers will request that you take “a few tests” to determine if you are impaired. You are NOT required to take these field sobriety tests . Understand that police officers use the test to gather evidence against you, not to help you. So, in almost every circumstance, you should refuse to do field sobriety tests at the scene of your stop.
  
  
• If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident after consuming alcohol or drugs, you may be charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanor reckless driving to felony vehicular homicide . A conviction for vehicular homicide almost always results in many years of prison time though Stephens & Brown has successfully kept a person out of jail who caused the death of two elderly people after smoking marijuana. Just this year, attorney Kim T. Stephens successfully kept a client out of prison on a vehicular homicide charge resulting from a horrible wreck that killed the client’s husband. In this case, the client had 2 previous DUIs, 3 previous felony drug convictions, and drugs in her system at the time of the wreck. Don’t take a chance of killing someone, ruining your life, and devastating the lives of family members for you and the person you might injure or kill.
  
  
• If you buy alcohol and provide it to someone under the age of twenty-one, you can be charged with providing alcohol to a minor . In addition to criminal sanctions, your driver’s license will be suspended if you are convicted of providing alcohol to a minor.
  
  
• If you have sex with an individual who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you can be charged with rape , aggravated sexual battery , sexual battery , and other serious criminal charges, even if you were also intoxicated. Students, particularly male students, are also being expelled or suspended by UGA and other colleges and universities based upon accusations of sexual misconduct where both students involved were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time.

Remember, if you are charged with a crime or asked to meet with the police, the Office of Student Conduct or other school administrators about alleged crimes or other violations of your school’s Code of Conduct, it is essential that you hire an attorney who can provide you with a powerful defense and protect your future. Kim Stephens defends students every day against false or inflated accusations, winning in court, and preventing incidents from impacting students’ education and lives beyond college.

About Kim Stephens