NEWS & INFO
Picking the Right Bail Bond Company
If you use the internet for everything from ordering food to buying a car, did you know search engines can help you find a reputable bail bond company, too? Be sure to search for companies that work in the jurisdiction where you were charged to come up with a short list of companies to consider. Consult with your attorney to see what he or she knows about the companies you’ve found. Then, discuss with your lawyer the [...]
Are You Speeding Towards a Reckless Driving Charge?
The traffic in Atlanta is terrible, and so are many of the drivers, apparently. The national stats even confirm it: Atlanta and Marietta topped the nation’s list of cities with the highest reckless driving rates per capita. In Georgia, the legal definition of “reckless driving” is operating a motor vehicle with “reckless disregard for the safety of persons and property.” A reckless driving conviction, a misdemeanor in Georgia, adds four points on your driving record and carries [...]
When Bond Hearings Go Wrong
When juveniles (Georgia residents who allegedly committed a crime when they were under 17 years of age) come before a judge, the emphasis is on rehabilitation – not punishment. However, some juveniles are beyond that. A few weeks ago, a young defendant appeared before a Fulton County Magistrate Court as part of a bond hearing pending a trial for a 2017 “theft by receiving stolen property charge.” Following the dictate of Juvenile Court for rehabilitation, the presiding [...]
Pulled Over by Police? No Blow Required
One of the biggest decisions suspected impaired drivers have to make when pulled over is whether or not to submit to a roadside breathalyzer test. Now, you don’t have to. In February, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that using a driver’s refusal in court against him or her was unconstitutional. Governor Brian Kemp’s signing House Bill 471 changed the law to make submitting to a breathalyzer test optional – not legally required. Previously, such a refusal would [...]
Kids in Trouble with the Law
High school students in America reported that 86% of their classmates use drugs, drink alcohol and smoke during the school day. Equally as alarming was the same study’s finding that 44% of the high school students knew a student who sold drugs at their school. More than half (52%) said there was a place at school or near school where they could go to use drugs, drink or smoke during the school day. In addition, more than [...]
Being Charged with Domestic Violence: A lifetime of ramifications?
Law enforcement’s aggressive position on domestic violence can have a lifetime of impact – regardless of how the charges are resolved. The term, “domestic violence,” refers to “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.” Included in this classification are instances of alleged emotional, psychological, economic, sexual and physical abuse. Acts of family violence are defined as but not limited [...]
