UCW (Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon) in Georgia
Rash of Mass Shootings Raises Weapons Possession Questions Regardless of your political viewpoint, three mass shootings in a month is three too many. Beefing up enforcement of existing laws, like illegal weapons possession laws, is a good place to start. The Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep (own) and bear (carry) firearms. For the […]
What’s the Penalty for First-Time DUI in Georgia?
When people ask us this question, they’re really asking “How do I avoid the penalty for first-time DUI in Georgia?” These offenses carry substantial direct and indirect consequences. The direct consequences of a first-time DUI in Georgia are relatively light, compared with the law in other states. A first-time offender must spend between twenty-four hours […]
Your Get-Out-Of-Jail (Almost) Free Card in Cobb County
In Monopoly, the coveted get-out-of-jail free card is almost as valuable as the paper money and the plastic hotels. No one likes to go to jail, in a board game or in real life. Additionally, many advocates have focused on this area in recent years. Georgia has one of the highest populations of unsentenced inmates […]
Drunk Driver Plunges Car into GSU Pond
A woman faced DUI charges in Bulloch County after she drove into a pond next to Georgia State University’s Education and Engineering buildings. State Trooper Aaron Ramirez said the driver, who was able to swim out of the partially submerged car along with her passenger, apparently ran a stop sign and drove headfirst into the […]
Is It Worth Fighting a Speeding Ticket in Georgia?
Nationwide, police officers issue millions of speeding tickets every year. A few motorists, typically young males who drive sporty cars, receive multiple speeding tickets in a short period of time. But the average drive goes a little more than six years between speeding tickets. If, like most people, you got a speeding ticket in 2016 […]
Local Official Faces Sexual Battery Charges
For a brief time, Bleckley County Sheriff Kris Coody was behind bars in Cobb County, after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting TV’s Judge Hatchett at an Atlanta hotel. According to an arrest warrant, Sheriff Coody groped Hatchett’s breasts at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Bar, during the January 2022 Georgia Sheriffs Association meeting. After Sheriff […]
Does Hot Weather Increase the Crime Rate?
Yes, hot weather increases the crime rate, according to the heat hypothesis. That’s especially true in early summer, like before National Be a Dork Day, which is July 15. In mid and late summer, the hot weather-assault trend diminishes. It’s simply too hot to get in a fight with anyone. The heat hypothesis especially affects […]
Five Ways to Reduce the Consequences of Criminal Cases
The ultimate goal of a criminal defense is a not-guilty verdict at trial. This outcome completely vindicates the defendant. But less than 5 percent of criminal cases go to trial in Cobb County. Plea bargains, or out-of-court settlements, resolve nearly all the rest. Frequently, these plea bargains mean reduced direct or collateral consequences. If a […]
Jail Release Basics in Cobb County
In 2017, Georgia had one of the highest percentages of unsentenced jail inmates in the country. Almost half of county prisoners were simply waiting for their day in court. This figure is a bit deceptive, because inmates who were on their way out the door were counted as “unsentenced” like everyone else. Nevertheless, reports like […]
Georgia Courts Redefine Resisting Arrest
The Georgia Supreme Court revived a doctrine that first appeared in 1710 and allows defendants to offer proportional resistance to unlawful arrests. Athens-Clarke County police officers arrested Christopher Glenn for loitering outside a local elementary school. Glenn, who contended that he was simply walking home, assaulted the arresting officers and kicked the squad car’s door […]
