Child Cruelty in Gwinnett County

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In Georgia, there are three types of child cruelty- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree.

  • 1st degree child cruelty occurs when a parent, guardian, or other person supervising a child willfully deprives a child of necessary sustenance to the point that the child’s health or well-being is jeopardized OR when a person maliciously causes a child under 18 cruel or excessive mental or physical pain. 1st degree child cruelty is a felony and, if you are found guilty, you will be punished by 5 to 20 years in prison.
  • 2nd degree child cruelty occurs when a person acts or fails to act in a way that demonstrates a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others and that act or failure to act causes cruel or excessive mental or physical pain to a child under 18 years old. 2nd degree child cruelty is also a felony and, if you are found guilty, you will be punished by 1 to 10 years in prison.
  • 3rd degree child cruelty occurs when a person is the primary aggressor intentionally allows a child under the age of 18 to witness the commission of a forcible felony or family violence battery OR when a person knows that a child under the age of 18 is present and sees or hears the person commit a forcible felony or family violence battery. A person convicted of 3rd degree child cruelty is guilty of a misdemeanor.

As you can see, the punishment for child cruelty can be severe. It is important that you hire a lawyer experienced in defending child cruelty cases. The lawyers at W. Scott Smith will zealously defend you against child cruelty allegations. If you find yourself accused of child cruelty, call our office at 404-581-0999 today for a free consultation.

DUI Less Safe: What is It?

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If you’ve been pulled over for a DUI you may have seen a charge on the citation saying “DUI Less Safe.” There’s a lot of confusion about what this actually means. What people most commonly think of is “DUI Per Se” meaning that the authorities have a numerical reading of your blood alcohol content through blood, breath, or urine. If you’re over 21 years old, that means your BAC was above a .08.

On the other hand, “DUI Less Safe” essentially means that the driver is considered less safe to operate a vehicle due to alcohol or drug impairment, regardless of whether they meet the specific BAC threshold for DUI Per Se. DUI Less Safe is common in two scenarios, the first being a refusal of tests that may indicate impairment due to a BAC reading. If a police officer sees certain driving and/or physical manifestations that could indicate alcohol impairment and the driver refuses to perform any sobriety tests, they will usually issue a citation with DUI Less Safe because they do not have the BAC reading to issue DUI Per Se. The second scenario when DUI Less Safe is used is when your blood, breath, or urine shows that there is alcohol in your system, but the BAC is less than .08. Although it may seem strange to receive a DUI when your BAC is under the legal threshold for DUI Per Se, it does happen because the officer has deemed the driver “less safe” to operate a vehicle due to impairment.

If you or a loved one has gotten pulled over for a DUI in Georgia don’t hesitate! Call our office TODAY.

Child Hearsay in Georgia

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If you are charged with child molestation, cruelty to children, or any crime, in Georgia, where a child is the alleged victim, the State will fie a Motion to Admit Child Hearsay testimony.

This is pursuant to O.C.G.A. 24-8-820. This status is the Georgia Child Hearsay Statute.

O.C.G.A. 24-8-820 reads as follows:

(a) A statement made by a child younger than 16 years of age describing any act of sexual contact or physical abuse performed with or on such child by another or with or on another in the presence of such child shall be admissible in evidence by the testimony of the person to whom made if the proponent of such statement provides notice to the adverse party prior to trial of the intention to use such out-of-court statement and such child testifies at trial, unless the adverse party forfeits or waives such child’s testimony as provide in this title, and, at the time of the testimony regarding the out-of-court statements, the person to whom the child made such statement is subject to cross-examination regarding the out-of-court statements.

All that is required is:

  1. Notice to the defendant of the State’s intention to use such statements.
  2. The child testifying at trial, unless the defendant waives it.
  3. The person to whom the statements were made is subject to cross-examination.

You will need to be prepared to challenge the credibility and the underlying facts of any witness who takes the stand against you and claims that the child made statements to them about the sexual contact or physical abuse. Do not waive the child’s presence at trial. Make the child testify.

In cases of child molestation, there is rarely physical evidence. The entire case comes down to credibility. It is the defendant’s credibility vs. the child’s and the child’s witness’s credibility. Do not forfeit the right to a thorough cross-examination of the child and their witnesses.

These child hearsay witnesses can include testimony of physicians, investigators, parents, other family members, forensic interviewers and any other person who spoke to the child about the allegations.

You must be prepared to challenge each of these statements.

Child Molestation and Cruelty to Children carry severe penalties in Georgia. Do not make statements to the police about the allegations. You must hire a qualified attorney and be prepared to vigorously fight your case at trial.

Please call us at 404-581-0999 if you are charged with any crime involving a child in Georgia.

License Consequences for DUI Convictions in Gwinnett Recorder’s Court

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By: Attorney Erin Dohnalek

In Georgia, an individual may be charged with DUI under the following circumstances:

  • If he/she was in actual physical control of a moving vehicle while he/she was under the influence of alcohol to an extent that it was less safe for them to drive.
  • If he/she was in actual physical control of a moving vehicle while he/she was under the influence of any drug to an extent that it was less safe for them to drive.
  • If he/she was in actual physical control of a moving vehicle while he/she was under the influence of a combination of any two or more controlled substances, which does include alcohol, to an extent that it was less safe for them to drive.
  • If he/she was in actual physical control of a moving vehicle while his/her alcohol concentration was .08 grams or more, or at any time within three hours after such driving ended.
  • If he/she was in actual physical control of a moving vehicle while there was any amount of marijuana or a controlled substance, as defined by O.C.G.A § 16-13-21, present in his/her blood or urine.

If an accused is convicted of DUI in Gwinnett Recorder’s Court, pursuant to O.C.G.A § 40-6-391, his/her license will be suspended. This is a mandatory suspension required by the Department of Driver’s Services. The length of the suspension is decided by how many prior DUI convictions he/she has had in the last five years. Those suspensions are as follows:

  • If the accused has not had a prior DUI conviction in the last five years:
    • The suspension will be for a period of 120 days.
    • During that suspension, the accused will be eligible for a limited permit to drive if he/she is a resident of Georgia, and he/she has not had a prior DUI conviction in the last five years.
    • After the 120-day license suspension, the accused will be eligible to get their permanent license back if he/she has completed a Risk Reduction Course, otherwise known as DUI school, and has paid a $210 reinstatement fee.
  • If this is the second DUI conviction in the last five years for the accused:
    • The suspension will be for a period of 18 months.
    • For the first 4 months of the suspension, there will be a hard suspension with no eligibility for a limited permit. This means for the first 4 months, he/she will not be able to drive.
    • After the first 4 months, he/she may be issued a limited permit if he/she installs an ignition interlock in their vehicle.
    • After the full 18 months, the accused will be able to reinstate their permanent license if he/she has completed a substance abuse evaluation plus recommended treatment and has shown proof of that completion to the Department of Driver’s Services.
  • The most serious license suspension happens to drivers who have been convicted of a third DUI in the last five years.
    • If that occurs, the driver will be considered a Habitual Violator.
    • This will require a 5-year license suspension, and there is no eligibility for a limited permit.
    • Only after two years can an accused be eligible for a probationary license to drive.
    • It is very important that the accused not drive if he/she is a Habitual Violator, as he/she could be arrested for a felony, if caught driving, that carries at least one year in jail.

Contact Us

Due to the severity of the license suspension consequences of a DUI conviction, it is of vital importance to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney about your case. At the Law Offices of W. Scott Smith, our lawyers are trained to know every aspect of defending a DUI, we understand the defenses to the charge, we take pride in advocating for our clients’ constitutional rights, and we detail all options for our clients when defending their case. If you or a loved one has been charged with DUI in Gwinnett County, and you are worried about the license consequences associated with a conviction, please call our office today at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation.

Help! I Failed to Appear in Duluth Municipal Court!

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If you missed court in Duluth Municipal Court, you are likely in FTA status. This means that you failed to appear for your court date, and it is probable that your driver’s license has been suspended. The tricky thing about FTAs is that you likely don’t even know that you missed court until you are pulled over and an officer tells you that your license is suspended.

The court will not lift your FTA suspension until you deal with the underlying traffic charge. This could mean just paying a fine, but it may also require an in-court appearance. An experienced lawyer can help you navigate the process quickly and effectively and get you on the road to reinstating your license.

The lawyers at W. Scott Smith are experienced at helping clients resolve FTAs and guiding clients in the best way to resolve the underlying traffic charge. Call us today at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation on how to move forward, resolve the FTA, and have your driver’s license reinstated.

Cobb County Sexual Battery Attorney

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Georgia law makes it illegal to intentionally make physical contact with the intimate parts of the body of another without their consent under O.C.G.A. 16-6-22.1(b). It defines intimate parts as the genital area, but also inner thighs, buttocks, and breasts of a female.  Skin to skin contact is not required, and physical contact through clothing is sufficient.

Sexual Battery is typically a high and aggravated misdemeanor. High and aggravated misdemeanors have harsher sentencing than standard misdemeanors, including a fine of up to $5,000. If sentenced to custodial time on a high and aggravated misdemeanor, it is typical to not be eligible to earn good time credit or be eligible for earlier release. If convicted of sexual battery against a child under 16, it is a felony offense carrying punishment of one to five years imprisonment. Similarly, when convicted of Sexual battery for the second time, Georgia will treat it as a felony offense. Both misdemeanors and felonies appear on criminal histories.

If the case is prosecuted as a misdemeanor, it will be handled in the Cobb County State Court. If it is prosecuted as a felony, it will take place in the Cobb County Superior Court. There are defenses to Sexual Battery in Cobb County and throughout Georgia. First of all, a defense would be if the incident did not occur.  Additionally, having the other party’s consent is a valid defense. The law requires actual proof of the victim’s lack of consent in order to be convicted of sexual battery.

If you or a loved one has been charged with Sexual Battery in Cobb County or anywhere in Georgia, call the Law Office of W. Scott Smith for a FREE CONSULTATION at 404-581-0999.

First Offender Probation Revocation

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If you are alleged to have violated your first offender probation, it is extremely important to have a knowledgeable attorney with you. The consequences can be severe. The judge has the right to bring you back, adjudicate you guilty and resentence you to the maximum punishment with credit for the time you were on probation.

Adjudicating you guilty means that it turns into a real conviction and it will no longer be taken off your record when you complete your sentence.  To give you an example, let’s say your sentence is 5 years, the max for the offense is 10 years and you violate your probation after 2 years. The judge can increase your sentence from 5 years to 10 years, but you would get credit for the 2 years. That would leave you with 8 years left and you would be a convicted felon.

It is important to remember that just because you violate your probation the judge will automatically do that. It really comes down to what the violation is. If it is a technical violation, i.e. not paying the probation fees, failure to report, it is unlikely that a judge will revoke your fist offender status and resentence. However, if you pick up new charges or violate a special condition, the chances are higher that your first offender status is in danger.

If you are alleged to have violated your first offender probation, give us a call for a free consultation.

Cherokee County Sexual Battery Attorney

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Georgia law makes it illegal to intentionally make physical contact with the intimate parts of the body of another without their consent under O.C.G.A. 16-6-22.1(b). It defines intimate parts as the genital area, but also inner thighs, buttocks, and breasts of a female.  Skin to skin contact is not required, and physical contact through clothing is sufficient.

Sexual Battery is typically a high and aggravated misdemeanor. High and aggravated misdemeanors have harsher sentencing than standard misdemeanors, including a fine of up to $5,000. If sentenced to custodial time on a high and aggravated misdemeanor, it is typical to not be eligible to earn good time credit or be eligible for earlier release. If convicted of sexual battery against a child under 16, it is a felony offense carrying punishment of one to five years imprisonment. When convicted of sexual battery against someone over 16 years old, the State of Georgia considers it a felony offense carrying one to five years imprisonment. Similarly, when convicted of Sexual battery for the second time, Georgia will treat it as a felony offense. Both misdemeanors and felonies appear on criminal histories.

There are defenses to Sexual Battery in Georgia. First of all, a defense would be if the incident did not occur.  Additionally, having the other party’s consent is a valid defense. The law requires actual proof of the victim’s lack of consent in order to be convicted of sexual battery.

If you or a loved one has been charged with Sexual Battery in Cherokee County or anywhere in Georgia, call the Law Office of W. Scott Smith for a FREE CONSULTATION at 404-581-0999

Help! I Failed to Appear in Gwinnett Recorder’s Court!

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If you miss court in the Gwinnett County Recorder’s Court, you are likely in FTA status. This means that you failed to appear for your court date and it is probable that your driver’s license has been suspended. The tricky thing about FTAs is that you likely don’t even know that you missed court until you are pulled over and an officer tells you that your license is suspended.

The court will not lift your FTA suspension until you deal with the underlying traffic charge. This could mean just paying a fine, but it may also require an in court appearance. An experienced lawyer can help you navigate the process quickly and effectively and get you on the road to reinstating your license.

The lawyers at W. Scott Smith are experienced at helping clients resolve FTAs and guiding clients in the best way to resolve the underlying traffic charge. Call us today at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation on how to move forward, resolve the FTA, and have your driver’s license reinstated.

Child Molestation in Cobb County

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Child Molestation is a serious crime in the State of Georgia. If you are arrested in Cobb County for child molestation, 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 child molestation. The Cobb County District Attorney’s Office has a unit called the Crimes Against Women and Children Unit and they zealously prosecute these cases and they are very prepared. Many allegations of child molestation are false. Even if you know the allegation of child molestation against you is made up, you still must take it very seriously and aggressively defend yourself.

If you are arrested, you will be on a calendar the next day for First Appearance. At this hearing, the Cobb 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 child molestation. You will then need to file a motion for a formal bond hearing and a preliminary hearing. These hearings take place at the Cobb County Magistrate Court on the Marietta Square.  It is crucial to get an attorney retained to be at the First Appearance hearing at the Cobb County Magistrate Court.

O.C.G.A. § 16-6-4 defines child molestation as follows:

A person commits the offense of child molestation when such person: Does any immoral or indecent act to or in the presence of or with any child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the accused OR by means of electronic device, transmits images of a person engaging in, inducing, or otherwise participating in any immoral or indecent act to a child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the person.

Child Molestation is a specific intent crime. Whether the accused has the requisite intent when he committed the act of child molestation is up to a jury. The jury can infer the requisite intent of “arousing or satisfying sexual desires” from the commission of the act. However, proof of the accused’s actual arousal is not required. Intent can be inferred from the testimony of the victim or from the actions of the accused.

No penetration is required for child molestation. All that is required is the touching of the child’s body along with the requisite intent. It does not matter whether the child was clothed or unclothed in determining whether the act was immoral or indecent.

The indictment does not have to allege the specific details of the child molestation. It can use general language of the statute.

The punishment for child molestation is a mandatory of 5 years to 20 years in prison. If it a second conviction for child molestation then it can be life in prison or a mandatory 10 years up to 30 years in prison.

If someone is making an allegation of child molestation against you in Cobb County, it is imperative that you do not talk to the police, do not talk to the person who is accusing you of child molestation and call us. Time is of the essence to properly investigate the allegations.

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. We also have a second office near the Cobb County courthouse.

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