How can my license to drive be suspended administratively and again if I am convicted of DUI? This is a good question. Georgia law thinks of driving as a privilege and not a right. On the administrative end, the law provides the Department of Driver Services (hereafter “DDS”) may take your license (viewed as a […]
Robbery or Burglary? It is not uncommon for people to use “robbery” and “burglary” interchangeably. For example, a person enters their home to discovery it’s been ransacked. They might exclaim, “I’ve been robbed!” That exclamation is inaccurate under Georgia law. In Georgia, that person is a victim of burglary, not robbery, because Georgia defines burglary […]
I am going to digress from a legal analysis this month. When not practicing law, I enjoy, among other activities, walking and gardening. Both lend themselves to listening to podcasts. One of my favorite podcasts is “Hidden Brain” on NPR. The host, Shankar Vedantam, “uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive […]
Rape is a serious crime in Georgia. O.C.G.A. § 16-6-1 defines rape as follows: A person commits the offense of rape when he has carnal knowledge of: A female forcibly and against her will or: A female who is less than ten years of age. Carnal knowledge in rape occurs when there is any penetration […]
Possession of financial transaction card forgery devices in Georgia is different than possession of the cards themselves. In Georgia it is illegal to possess any devices used to fraudulently make financial transaction cards of a bank or other financial institution. All that is required to be found guilty of possession of these devices is a […]
We get calls all the time from people who have been charged in Georgia with taking your financial transaction (debit/credit) card information after you have voluntarily provided it to a business. You may have paid at the pump at a gas station, given your card to a fast food employee at the counter or a […]
While it’s clearly illegal to fraudulently purchase goods and services with forged and fake financial transaction cards, currency and other financial devices, it is also illegal in Georgia to receive money, goods, services, or anything of value when you know that these goods were fraudulently obtained. What’s the law on criminal receipt? O.C.G.A. section 16-9-35 […]
The Municipal Court of Atlanta has a special program for minor traffic offenses and some accident cases that involves dismissing these cases without them going on your driving history, without any points going on your drivers license, and without you using your nolo contendere plea. It is called the pre-trial intervention program – traffic division, […]
Here are the most common defenses in Georgia to drug charges: Unlawful Search and Seizure The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Paragraphs One and Eight of the Georgia Constitution guarantees the right to due process of law, including lawful search and seizure procedures prior to an arrest. Search and seizure issues are very […]
DUI and Reckless Driving charges are considered misdemeanors in Georgia. However, if you were arrested for DUI or Reckless Driving and there was an accident with serious injuries involved, it is likely you will be arrested for the felony offense of Serious Injury by Vehicle under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-394. What’s the Difference? The difference […]
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