Steele v. State, Forsyth County DUI, A10A0955, admissibility of prior DUI convictions (September 16, 2010). Perry Lee Steele was convicted of DUI by a Forsyth County jury in Cumming, GA.  He appealed claiming that the Court improperly admitted evidence of prior DUI convictions without finding that the DUI was being admitted for a proper purpose and the probative value exceeded the prejudicial effect.

The Court found simply that the prior DUI was admissible as the bent of mind and course of conduct evidence and was proper. A prior act of DUI is relevant to prove the bent of mind or course of conduct of a DUI Driver and there is no requirement that the Court makes a specific finding that the probative value outweighs the prejudicial impact.