Defending Cocaine Possession Charges in Court
The War on Drugs was just heating up when Elvis met Nixon in December 1970. Elvis asked Nixon to make him an undercover marshal, since he was familiar with “the drug culture” and “communist brainwashing techniques.” We aren’t sure how one relates to the other. Furthermore, the King didn’t say how he became familiar with […]
Getting Ready to Deal with Probation Conditions in Cobb County
In Georgia and most other jurisdictions, almost all offenders, including most violent, repeat offenders, receive probation. The reason is mostly economic. Georgia spends almost a billion dollars a year maintaining its prisons. The probation (community supervision) system, on the other hand, is at least partially self-sufficient. Supervision fees, court costs, and other probation fees make […]
Were the March 2021 Spa Shootings a Hate Crime?
Some groups are clamoring for prosecutors to apply a controversial new law to a spate of massage parlor shootings, but others are not convinced that the law applies. 21-year-old Robert Long allegedly killed eight mostly Asian people at two Atlanta-area massage parlors. Long claimed the attacks were not racially motivated. Cherokee County District Attorney Shannon […]
Smartphones and Your Constitutional Rights
A decade ago, only tech geeks with large disposable incomes owned smartphones. Today, over 90 percent of Americans own one of these devices. Even my octogenarian father, who struggles to set the clock on the microwave oven, owns a smartphone. Furthermore, today’s smartphones make the original iPhone look like one of those World War II […]
A Complete Guide to Theft Cases in Cobb County
The coronavirus pandemic thrust fraud cases, which is a specific kind of theft, into the spotlight. Unemployment claims are a good illustration. Here in Georgia, the initial number of claims exceeded the number of people in the civilian workforce. Other states reported similar issues. Generally, states fielded so many of these claims in the early […]
Can I Get Off Probation Early in Georgia?
The law just changed on this point, so we have been getting lots of calls about this issue. However, these legal changes don’t benefit all probationers in Cobb County. Many must continue to deal with the old early discharge system. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Georgia has one of the broadest such laws in […]
Five Critical Moments in a DUI Case
The total cost of a DUI conviction, when considering both direct and indirect expenses, could be between $10,000 and $25,000. From a purely financial standpoint, DUI is by far the most serious misdemeanor in Georgia. It’s also more serious than many felonies. Some non-financial consequences include possible lost job opportunities. As far as many employers […]
Dealing with Outstanding Warrants in Cobb County
Most criminal offenses have a statute of limitations. But once authorities issue a warrant, there is no statute of limitations. That warrant could remain active for years. Most of the outstanding warrant matters we handle involve warrants which are about three years old. When people must renew their driver’s’ licenses, they usually get around to […]
Setting, Modifying, and Enforcing Alimony in Cobb County
A number of states have changed their alimony laws in recent years, so that spousal support is more like child support. A guideline formula, which is usually based on income disparity and length of the marriage, is presumptively reasonable in most cases. But Georgia still has rather subjective alimony laws. Both initial determinations and subsequent […]
What You Should Know About DUI Checkpoints
During holiday weekends, like July Fourth Weekend, peace officers are usually out in force, looking for intoxicated motorists. Sometimes, the emphasis comes during a pre-shift briefing, when supervisors tell officers to look out for drunk drivers. Other times, these efforts are more organized. Supervisors pull officers off their normal routes and shifts, redeploy them to […]
