Georgia BUI Lawyer

Bill Hardman-Georgia BUI Lawyer

Bill Hardman is a criminal defense lawyer located in Gainesville, GA. Our firm has specialized in DUI and BUI Defense since day one. Call our office if you would like to schedule a BUI consultation and we will discuss your case with you free of charge.

Attorney Bill Hardman has represented many clients that have been accused of boating under the influence in the State of Georgia. BUI's can affect your ability to operate or use your boat. Penalties include up to one year in jail/probation, a DUI School or Risk Reduction Class, community service hours and mandatory drug and alcohol testing. It is important to have an experienced BUI lawyer represent you in your case.

10-Day Letter in BUI Cases:
If you have been charged with BUI, you only have 10 business days from the date of your arrest to appeal your boating privilege suspension. If you take no action, then your privilege to operate a boat in the State of Georgia may be suspended for 1-year. (10 day rule)

See each button below for a summary of Field Sobriety Tests that are specifically given in BUI cases along with the instructions and clues that officers are looking for if you are pulled over on the lake and investigated for BUI:

FINGER TO NOSE TEST

PALM PAT TEST

HAND COORDINATION TEST

Georgia Law on Boating Under the Influence

Boating Under the Influence in Georgia is under Georgia Law O.C.G.A. 52-7-12:

No person shall operate, navigate, steer, or drive any moving vessel, or be in actual physical control of any moving vessel, nor shall any person manipulate any moving water skis, moving aquaplane, moving surfboard, or similar moving device while:

Under the influence of alcohol to the extent that it is less safe for the person to operate, navigate, steer, drive, manipulate, or be in actual physical control of a moving vessel, moving water skis, moving aquaplane, moving surfboard, or similar moving device
The person’s alcohol concentration is 0.08 grams or more at any time within three hours after such operating, navigating, steering, driving, manipulating, or being in actual physical control of a moving vessel, moving water skis, moving aquaplane, moving surfboard, or similar moving device from alcohol consumed before such operating, navigating, steering, driving, manipulating, or being in actual physical control ended
Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this Code section, there is any amount of marijuana or a controlled substance, as defined in Code Section 16-13-21, present in the person’s blood or urine, or both, including the metabolites and derivatives of each or both without regard to whether or not any alcohol is present in the person’s breath or blood

There are also other provisions in the BUI statute where you can be accused of BUI if you are under the influence of influence of any glue, aerosol, or other toxic vapor. You can also be accused of BUI if you are under the influence of illegal drugs.

What Tests are given in BUI Cases?

The Horizontal-Gaze Nystagmus Test
The Finger to Nose Test
The Palm Pat Test
The Hand-Coordination Test
The Portable Breath Test

These BUI Field Sobriety Test are called the "Field Sobriety Tests" that were developed by NASBLA, which is the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.

The Difficult and Confusing BUI Field Sobriety Tests:
IF YOU GET PULLED OVER FOR A BUI ON ANY WATERWAY IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND ARE ASKED TO DO FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS:
The instructions are complicated.
The officer is looking for certain clues in all of these tests to decide if they are going to arrest you or not.
The tests are the Finger To Nose Test, The Palm Pat Test, and the Hand-Coordination Test.