DeKalb County Obstruction

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DeKalb County Obstruction Attorney

Obstruction of a law enforcement officer can be either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the facts of the case. If the case is prosecuted as a misdemeanor in DeKalb County, the Solicitor’s Office will prosecute the case, whereby if it is a felony charge, it will be sent to the District Attorney’s Office. The biggest difference between a misdemeanor obstruction case and the felony obstruction case is the maximum punishment if convicted.

DeKalb Misdemeanor Obstruction

Misdemeanor obstruction is when one knowingly and willingly obstructs or hinders a law enforcement officer in the discharge of his or her lawful duties. This includes police officers, but also probation officers,  jailers, or game wardens.

There are a few ways one can “obstruct” an officer under Georgia law. First, you can prevent an officer from discharging their official duties by running away, arguing, lying, or doing something that makes it more difficult or completely prevents them from doing their job. This would be classified as misdemeanor obstruction in Georgia and is punishable by up to twelve months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000. You don’t have to make any physical contact with the officer to be charged with misdemeanor obstruction. Felony obstruction, on the other hand, typically does involve physical contact with an officer, or a threat of violence.

DeKalb Felony Obstruction

Felony Obstruction is more serious under Georgia law.  If you make violent contact with an officer in the process of he or she discharging their legal duties, or you threaten violence on an officer, you may be charged with felony obstruction of justice. Felony obstruction, both in DeKalb and across the State, carries a mandatory one-to-five year sentence for a first offense. It is a mandatory 2 to 10 years on a second offense, and 3 to 15 years on a third.

Both felony and misdemeanor Obstruction cases are taken seriously in the DeKalb County justice system and throughout the State. There are, however, defenses. For example, it is not against the law to obstruct a police officer during an unlawful arrest. Obstruction of justice is a fact-based inquiry under Georgia law. If you have been charged with obstruction, call us today at 404-581-0999 so we can get you into the office for a free consultation.

Rape in Cobb County

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Rape is a serious crime in the State of Georgia. If you are arrested or under investigation, in Cobb County, for rape, please do not make any statements to the police. It is imperative that you retain a qualified attorney immediately if you are being accused of rape. The Cobb County District Attorney’s has a division of prosecutors who prosecute sex crimes zealously and they are very prepared. Many allegations of rape are false. Even if you know the allegation of rape against you is made up, you still must take it very seriously and aggressively defend yourself.

If you are arrested, your case will be put down for a first appearance hearing in Cobb Magistrate Court before Judge Brendan Murphy.  At this hearing, the Cobb County Magistrate Judge will read the warrants to you. You will then be given a bond hearing date and a probable cause hearing date. It is crucial that you move forward with the probable cause hearing. The purpose of the probable cause hearing in Cobb Magistrate Court is to put the lead Detective under oath and lock in his testimony and understand all of the evidence that exists in your case.

O.C.G.A. § 16-6-1 defines rape as follows:

When someone has carnal knowledge of (1) a female forcibly and against her will, or (2) a female who is less than 10 years of age. Carnal knowledge is any penetration of the female sex organ by the male sex organ. Against her ill means without consent. Forcibly means acts of physical force, threats of death or bodily harm, or mental coercion such as intimidation.

The elements that Cobb County District Attorney must prove to convict you are 1) penetration, 2) force, and 3) against her will. Physical injury is not an element.

The Cobb County Superior Court has 11 judges. All are very fair and will give you a fair trial. The Superior Court Judges are Judge Robert Leonard, Judge Mary Staley Clark, Judge Robert Flournoy, Judge LaTain Kell, Judge Gregory Poole, Judge Ann Harris, Judge Kimberly Childs, Judge Kellie Hill, Judge Angela Brown, Judge Jason Marbutt and Judge Henry Thompson.

It is imperative that you do not walk into court on a rape charge in Cobb County Superior Court either without a lawyer or with a lawyer who does not handle sex crimes. Rape cases are very difficult to defend and require someone with the knowledge and experience to defend them.

The punishment for rape is a mandatory 25 years to life in prison. You need to put everything you have into the trial to win. Do not rely on an appeal to be successful. You must win your rape trial to avoid spending the rest of your life in prison.

I would be happy to meet with you any time for a free consultation to discuss your case, your rights and your defenses to these allegations. Our office is in downtown Atlanta.

Call me at 404-581-0999 and let’s schedule a time to meet and discuss your case.

It is your life, your criminal record and you deserve the best representation possible.

What to do if arrested for Possession of Drugs or Possession with Intent in Gwinnett County

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If you are arrested for any drug offense in Gwinnett County, do not make any statements to the police. You will be taken to the Gwinnett County Jail at 2900 University Parkway, Lawrenceville, Georgia. You will be on the first appearance calendar the following day. It is important to have an attorney for this court appearance. The courtroom for the first appearance and bond hearing is in the Gwinnett County on the 2nd floor.

At your first appearance hearing, the Gwinnett County Magistrate Court judge will review the facts in the warrant and your criminal history and will decide whether to issue you a bond or not. The Chief Magistrate Judge is Kristina Blum. Either Judge Blum or one of the other Magistrate Judges will preside over your initial hearing. There are a few options regarding bond. The first is they may give you an unsecured judicial release. This allows you to get out of jail without paying any money. The next option is to give you a regular bond where you would have to go through a bonding company to be released. The final option is that they deny your bond. In Gwinnett County, in most drug cases, bond is set at first appearance.

Once you are released from the Gwinnett County jail, please ask any person who was with you that night to write out a statement of what they remember happening the night of the arrest. This could be helpful in preparing for the motions hearing and trial in Gwinnett County Superior Court. It is also important for you to write out a statement of anything you remember regarding the incident. Only give this statement to your attorney.

It is important that you hire an attorney quickly as there are tight deadlines on filing a Motion to Suppress which is a constitutional challenge to the drug evidence. Most drug cases are either won or lost at the Motions hearing. If you wait too long, you will be unable to file a Motion to Suppress.

Being convicted of a felony drug offense in Gwinnett County carries many consequences, including, but not limited to, a felony drug conviction on your record, loss of gun rights, loss of voting rights and has a detrimental impact on your securing a loan from a bank or employment.

You are welcome to call us 24/7 at 404-581-0999 and we will be there with you for your First Appearance hearing at the Gwinnett County jail.

HIT AND RUN

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In Georgia, leaving the scene of an accident will most frequently be classified as a misdemeanor offense, and is defined as a “hit and run.” It can have serious consequences in the laws of our state, including collateral consequences, such as a suspension of the accused person’s driver’s license. According to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-270, the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident, which results in an injury/ death of a person, or damage to another vehicle, has the duty to immediately stop after the accident. A driver also has the duty to return to the scene of the accident if he/she did not immediately stop their vehicle. When the driver has returned to the scene, he/she also has the following duties:

  1. The driver must give their name, address, and registration number of their vehicle;
  2. Upon request, show proof of their driver’s license;
  3. If any person is injured in the accident, the driver has the duty to assist the injured person; and
  4. If any person is unconscious or appears deceased, the driver must call 911.

A hit and run in Georgia usually will be classified as a misdemeanor, however, if the accident is the cause of a person’s death or serious injury, the accused could be charged with a felony offense, which includes a prison sentence of 1-5 years in custody. In all other cases, a hit and run will be classified as a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 12 months in jail and a $1000 fine.

REDUCED CHARGES

An experienced criminal defense attorney will negotiate with the prosecution to reduce a hit and run to a lesser offense. A hit and run charge will suspend an accused person’s driver’s license for a period of four months. Therefore, it is of vital importance to either be found “not guilty” of hit and run, or to reduce the hit and run to a non-suspendable offense.

The most common alternatives to a hit and run are (1) striking an unattended vehicle, or (2) duty to report. Striking an unattended vehicle, pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-271, means that a driver collides with an unattended vehicle and did not immediately stop to locate the owner of the vehicle. Duty to report, pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273, describes a circumstance where the driver is obligated to report an accident to the local police department when there are injuries to another party.

Both alternative charges are non-suspendable offenses. This means that there will not be a license suspension attached, if convicted. Therefore, because the accused will avoid a license suspension, reduced charges tend to be more favorable, and an experienced criminal defense attorney will attempt to negotiate for that resolution in order to save their client’s license.

Due to the complexity of a hit and run charge, it is of vital importance to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney who is knowledgeable of all possible options for their client, trained at defending such allegations, and zealously advocates for their client’s constitutional rights. At the Law Offices of W. Scott Smith, we do just that. Therefore, if you or a loved one has been cited or arrested for a hit and run, please call our office today at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation.

What to do if arrested for Possession of Drugs or Possession with Intent in Fulton County

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If you are arrested for any drug offense in Fulton County, do not make any statements to the police. You will be taken to the Fulton County jail at 901 Rice Street. You will be on the first appearance calendar the following morning at 11:00. It is important to have an attorney for this court appearance.

At your first appearance hearing, the Magistrate Court judge will review the facts in the warrant and your criminal history and will decide whether to issue you a bond or not. There are a few options regarding bond. The first is they may give you an unsecured judicial release and make you report to pre-trial services. This allows you to get out of jail without paying any money. The next option is to give you a regular bond where you would have to go through a bonding company to be released. The final option is that they deny your bond. In Fulton County, in most drug cases, bond is set at first appearance.

Once you are released from the Fulton County jail, please ask any person who was with you that night to write out a statement of what they remember happening the night of the arrest. This could be helpful in preparing for the motions hearing and trial in Fulton County. It is also important for you to write out a statement of anything you remember regarding the incident. Only give this statement to your attorney.

It is important that you hire an attorney quickly as there are tight deadlines on filing a Motion to Suppress which is a constitutional challenge to the drug evidence. Most drug cases are either won or lost at the Motions hearing. If you wait too long, you will be unable to file a Motion to Suppress.

Being convicted of a felony drug offense in Fulton County carries many consequences, including, but not limited to, a felony drug conviction on your record, loss of gun rights, loss of voting rights and has a detrimental impact on your securing a loan from a bank or employment.

You are welcome to call us 24/7 at 404-581-0999 and we will be there with you for your First Appearance hearing at the Fulton County jail.

My lawyer told me they are hoping to get my DUI reduced. What can I do to help?

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You may not know it, but you can play a huge role in helping your lawyer get the best deal possible for you in your DUI case. Many people assume that in their criminal case, they are at the mercy of the lawyers on both sides, and that they just have to wait until they hear something about an offer or a court date. This is not so. You have lots of power to affect the outcome of your case by being proactive and taking steps to complete required or recommended conditions for folks facing a DUI charge. Taking charge of your case by taking the following steps shows the solicitor that you are proactive and cooperative, and illustrates to the judge that you are taking the charges seriously and you want to handle the case quickly and responsibly. So, what can you do?

  1. Think about enrolling in a DDS-certified DUI School or Risk Reduction Class. There are dozens of convenient locations all over the state to choose from. The class is 20 hours long, and it costs $260 to enroll in the course. Many locations allow the class to be taken virtually or on weekends, so you should be able to easily find a location and time that works with your schedule. Click the following link for more information on finding a Risk Reduction class near you. Make sure that you provide the Certificate of Completion to your defense attorney or to the solicitor at your court date to show them that you have already started taking steps to handle your case. https://online.dds.ga.gov/ddsgeorgiagov/locations/certified-dui-schools.aspx
  2. Take a Defensive Driving class. DDS requires those who have been convicted of DUI to take a 6-hour certified Defensive Driving Class, and completion of the class is oftentimes a condition to getting a solicitor to agree to reduce your DUI charge to reckless driving or another lesser charge. The class is 6 hours and costs $95. Even if you have not been charged with DUI, but you have lots of points on your license, taking this class can remove up to 7 points from your license and reduce the cost of a traffic fine by up to 20%. This class also provides participants who complete the course with a Certificate of Completion that you can provide to your attorney or the solicitor in Court. Click the following link to see schools in your area: https://online.dds.ga.gov/ddsgeorgiagov/locations/driver-improvement-schools.aspx
  3. Talk to a professional and have an alcohol and/or drug evaluation. If you have been charged with DUI in Georgia, solicitors often want to make sure that there is not an underlying substance abuse issue. Reach out to mental health professionals in your area and make an appointment with a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. They will have you in to discuss your use of drugs and/or alcohol, and make a recommendation if they believe that, based on your discussions, you need treatment to address alcohol or drug use. Be honest with your counselor so that they can make the best treatment recommendation for you that they can. If you have been recommended treatment, go ahead and begin that recommended treatment. Taking that step to improve your relationship with drugs and/or alcohol can be empowering, and it shows the Court that you recognize that you may have an unhealthy habits, but that you are taking steps to improve your mental and physical wellbeing. We know several excellent professionals if you need any help getting started. Feel free to give us a call at the number below.

We attorneys work hard to make your experience smooth and efficient, but it may feel like your case is moving slowly, and distant court dates can hang over you and weigh you down. Checking one or two of the above items off of your list can help to expedite your case, ensure you get a better offer, and can empower you. You are as much a part of your case as the attorney, and we want you to be involved! We have access to resources and information to help you get through this. We want to help. If you have any questions, please contact our office at (404)-581-0999.

After my DUI arrest, the officer took my license. How can I get to work?

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If you have been arrested for a DUI in Georgia and an officer took your license, you may be wondering how you can get to work, school, or even your court date without the risk of getting into trouble. If this is you, then take a look at the citation you were given when you were arrested and take a deep breath. At the bottom of the citation, you should see something that says “temporary driving permit.” Georgia law requires an officer who is arresting you for DUI to seize your license. The citation you receive acts as a temporary driving permit for a period of 45 days from the date you were arrested or while your ALS hearing is pending. For information on filing an ALS petition, please check out this blog post: https://www.peachstatelawyer.com/georgia-administrative-license-suspension-als-hearings-during-the-pandemic/

If your license was valid at the time of arrest, the officer MUST give you this permit. If you did not receive the permit and your license was valid, let us know so that we can contact DDS on your behalf.

This permit, unlike a restricted license or a limited permit, is functionally the same as your regular license. You can travel for work or leisure without restriction on this permit. Additionally, you can find your drivers license number on your citation and visit DDS.georgia.gov and select “check license status” to actually view whether or not your license is valid. So long as the website says your license is valid and you have the 1205 form, you should not have to worry about getting pulled over and not having your license on you. However, be sure to bring the 1205 form with you when you drive in case you are stopped.

If your license has been taken because of a DUI arrest, DO NOT WAIT. Call us today. You have 30 days from the date of the arrest to try to save your license, and on the 46th day after the arrest, the 1205 permit expires. We can help.

Call us at (404)-581-0999!

Being charged with Rape in Newton County

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Rape is a serious crime in the State of Georgia. If you are arrested or under investigation, in Newton County, for rape, please do not make any statements to the police. It is imperative that you retain a qualified attorney immediately if you are being accused of rape. The Newton County District Attorney’s office zealously prosecutes these cases and they are very prepared. Many allegations of rape are false. Even if you know the allegation of rape against you is made up, you still must take it very seriously and aggressively defend yourself.

If you are arrested, you will be on the calendar the following morning for First Appearance. At this hearing, the Newton County Magistrate Judge will read the warrants to you. They then might consider bond depending on the allegations but will likely deny bond in a rape case. You will then need to file a motion for a formal bond hearing in Newton Superior Court and a preliminary hearing in magistrate court. These hearings take place at the Newton County Courthouse in downtown Covington, Georgia. It is crucial to get an attorney retained to be at the First Appearance hearing at the Newton County jail.

O.C.G.A. § 16-6-1 defines rape as follows:

When someone has carnal knowledge of (1) a female forcibly and against her will, or (2) a female who is less than 10 years of age. Carnal knowledge is any penetration of the female sex organ by the male sex organ. Against her ill means without consent. Forcibly means acts of physical force, threats of death or bodily harm, or mental coercion such as intimidation.

The elements that Newton County District Attorney’s office must prove to convict you are 1) penetration, 2) force, and 3) against her will. Physical injury is not an element.

The Newton County Superior Court has 5 judges. All are very fair and will give you a fair trial. The Superior Court Judges are Chief Judge John Ott, Judge Chevada McCamy, Judge Layla Zon, Judge Jeffrey Foster and Judge Kendall Wynne.

It is imperative that you do not walk into court on a rape charge in Newton County either without a lawyer or with a lawyer who does not handle sex crimes. Rape cases are very difficult to defend and require someone with the knowledge and experience to defend them.

The punishment for rape is a mandatory 25 years to life in prison. You need to put everything you have into the trial to win. Do not rely on an appeal to be successful. You must win your rape trial to avoid spending the rest of your life in prison.

I would be happy to meet with you any time for a free consultation to discuss your case, your rights and your defenses to these allegations. Our office is in downtown Atlanta.

Call me at 404-581-0999 and let’s schedule a time to meet and discuss your case.

It is your life, your criminal record and you deserve the best representation possible.

Rape in Henry County

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Rape is a serious crime in the State of Georgia. If you are arrested or under investigation, in Henry County, for rape, please do not make any statements to the police. It is imperative that you retain a qualified attorney immediately if you are being accused of rape. The Henry County District Attorney’s office zealously prosecutes these cases and they are very prepared. Many allegations of rape are false. Even if you know the allegation of rape against you is made up, you still must take it very seriously and aggressively defend yourself.

If you are arrested, you will be on the calendar the following morning for First Appearance. At this hearing, the Henry County Magistrate Judge will read the warrants to you. They then might consider bond depending on the allegations but will likely deny bond in a rape case. You will then need to file a motion for a formal bond hearing in Superior Court and a preliminary hearing in magistrate court. These hearings take place at the Henry County Courthouse in downtown McDonough, Georgia. It is crucial to get an attorney retained to be at the First Appearance hearing at the Henry County jail.

O.C.G.A. § 16-6-1 defines rape as follows:

When someone has carnal knowledge of (1) a female forcibly and against her will, or (2) a female who is less than 10 years of age. Carnal knowledge is any penetration of the female sex organ by the male sex organ. Against her ill means without consent. Forcibly means acts of physical force, threats of death or bodily harm, or mental coercion such as intimidation.

The elements that District Attorney must prove to convict you are 1) penetration, 2) force, and 3) against her will. Physical injury is not an element.

The Henry County Superior Court has 3 judges. All are very fair and will give you a fair trial. The Superior Court Judges are Judge Brian Amero, Judge Holly Veal and Judge Pandora Palmer.

It is imperative that you do not walk into court on a rape charge in Henry County either without a lawyer or with a lawyer who does not handle sex crimes. Rape cases are very difficult to defend and require someone with the knowledge and experience to defend them.

The punishment for rape is a mandatory 25 years to life in prison. You need to put everything you have into the trial to win. Do not rely on an appeal to be successful. You must win your rape trial to avoid spending the rest of your life in prison.

I would be happy to meet with you any time for a free consultation to discuss your case, your rights and your defenses to these allegations. Our office is in downtown Atlanta.

Call me at 404-581-0999 and let’s schedule a time to meet and discuss your case.

It is your life, your criminal record and you deserve the best representation possible.

DUI IN COWETA COUNTY

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Following a DUI arrest, the State of Georgia has the authority to suspend the driver’s license of the accused in a civil proceeding if one of the following occurs:

  1. After the accused has been arrested for DUI, the arresting officer read the accused the correct “Implied Consent” notice and he/she refused to comply with either a breath, blood, or urine test in order to determine his/her blood alcohol content, OR
  2. The accused consented to a breath, blood, or urine test and the results showed that the blood alcohol content of the accused was above the legal limit.

At this time, the accused has a few options. He/she can either appeal the license suspension or install an ignition interlock device in his/her vehicle for the duration of the suspension. However, the accused MUST make this decision before the deadline is up. The deadline to either install an ignition interlock or appeal a license suspension is 30 days from the date of arrest. If this is not done, there will be a license suspension put in place 45 days after arrest.

In Coweta County, if eligible, and if the accused refused to submit to a breath, blood, or urine test, it is usually advisable to go the ignition interlock device route, instead of appealing the license suspension. If the license suspension is appealed, many police officers in Coweta County will require that the accused plead guilty to DUI in order to dismiss the 1-year license suspension. Therefore, if you have been charged with DUI, and refused the breath, blood, or urine test, and you want to fight your case, it is usually a better option to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle rather than appeal the license suspension.

THE OFFENSE/ PUNISHMENT

After either installing an ignition interlock device, or appealing the license suspension, the accused must also be ready to defend his/her criminal allegations. According to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391, a person commits driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs when it renders them less safe to drive, the person’s alcohol concentration is 0.08 grams or more at any time within 3 hours after such driving occurred, or there is any amount of an illegal controlled substance present in the accused person’s blood or urine.

The consequences of a first DUI conviction in the last ten years are at least 12 months on probation, DUI classes and courses, and community service. For a second DUI, the consequences are more serious. There is a mandatory sentence of at least 3 days in jail, heightened community service, and a requirement for an ignition interlock to be installed in the accused’s vehicle. Lastly, for a third DUI, there is a mandatory jail-time sentence of at least 15 days in custody.

Due to the severity of the consequences following a DUI arrest, it is imperative to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney. At the Law Offices of W. Scott Smith, we understand all the possible options for our clients, we are knowledgeable about all direct and collateral consequences of a DUI conviction, and we work tirelessly to advocate for our clients. Therefore, if you have been arrested for a DUI in Coweta County, please call our office today at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation.