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Criminal Defense in Henry County, Georgia

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If you have been charged with a crime in Henry County, then you have come to the right place.  We specialize in criminal defense and stand ready to defend you.  The first question that needs to be answered is where your case will be heard.  If you are charged with a felony, then your case will begin in magistrate court and finish in superior court.  The first appearance, initial bond hearing, and preliminary hearing are all heard by a magistrate judge at the Henry County Jail located at 120 Henry Pkwy., McDonough, GA 30253.  After these initial hearings, your case will be transferred to Henry County Superior Court located at 1 Courthouse Sq., McDonough, GA 30253.  All other magistrate court proceedings are held at the Judicial Center along with the state court and juvenile court proceedings.  The Judicial Center is located at 44 John Frank Ward Blvd., McDonough, GA 30253. 

If you are charged with a serious misdemeanor, then your case will go straight to state court.  Otherwise, your case will likely begin in one of the four municipalities in Henry County:  McDonough, Stockbridge, Locust Grove, and Hampton.  

If you are charged with a traffic ticket or low-level misdemeanor within the city limits of Stockbridge, your case will begin in the Municipal Court of Stockbridge is located at 4602 North Henry Blvd., Stockbridge, GA 30281.

If you are charged with a traffic ticket or low-level misdemeanor within the city limits of Hampton, your case will begin in Hampton the Municipal Court of Hampton is located at 4 McDonough St., Hampton, GA 30228.

If you are charged with a traffic ticket or low-level misdemeanor within the city limits of Locust Grove, your case will begin in Locust Grove the Municipal Court of Locust Grove is located at 99 Frances Ward Dr., Locust Grove, GA 30248.  

If you are charged with a traffic ticket or low-level misdemeanor within the city limits of McDonough, your case will begin in the Municipal Court of McDonough is located 40 Lawrenceville St., McDonough, GA 30253.

If you have been charged with a crime in Henry County, call us today at 404-581-0999 to ensure you get the best outcome possible.

Henry County Georgia DUI Attorney

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            If you or a loved one has been arrested for DUI in Henry County, you may be wondering what will happen next. Upon being arrested for DUI in Henry County (or given a citation if incident occurred during COVID-19), the first matter to focus on is your ability to continue driving. Within 30 days of your arrest, certain decisions must be made in order to preserve your right to drive during the pendency of your DUI case. You will need to either submit what is known as an Administrative License Appeal (“30 day letter”) or opt for an Ignition Interlock Permit. Several factors, including whether or not there was a chemical test taken, go into the decision of which route to go. An experienced DUI defense attorney will guide you to make the best decision for your individual circumstance.

            Your case will begin in either Henry County State Court, or one of the local Municipal Courts (Stockbridge, McDonough, Hampton, or Locust Grove). The first court date that occurs in a Henry County DUI case is your Arraignment date. At your arraignment, you will be given the option to enter a Not Guilty plea to the charges. It is imperative you have a DUI Defense Attorney at this stage as the Arraignment date triggers certain deadlines. Under Georgia law, a Motion to Suppress must be filed within 10 days of Arraignment. This means that in order to preserve arguments of suppressing blood, breath, or urine tests, or incriminating statements made to law enforcement, that a Motion to Suppress must be filed, or the ability to argue it later is waived.

            Following the Arraignment will come the Discovery process where the State will serve its evidence including any police reports, body cam and dash cam footage, and results of any chemical test. The Defense will be doing its own investigation and analysis in the case in preparation for a Motions hearing, Pretrial Negotiations, and Trial. The Law Office of W. Scott Smith will appear at all hearings to protect your rights and defend you. We fight for you and come up with a comprehensive strategy to accomplish your goals in your DUI case in Henry County.

If you or a loved one is facing a Henry County DUI, do not go through it alone. Jail time, license suspension, and lengthy probation sentences are all at stake in a DUI case. A guilty conviction lasts forever in the State of Georgia, and can never be expunged.

Attorney W. Scott Smith is the Founder and Principal of the W. Scott Smith P.C. law firm in Atlanta, Georgia. Scott has been recognized as one of the best criminal defense attorneys in the State and he and his firm are leaders in DUI and Drug related cases. The lawyers of W. Scott Smith routinely are invited to speak to other lawyers on DUI-related topics and have handled hundreds of Henry County DUI cases. Call us today for a FREE CONSULTATION at 404-581-0999.