Pedestrian Bill of Rights: A Closer Look
Both the number of pedestrians on the road and the number of serious injury pedestrian accidents have increased substantially in recent years. While all these claims are different, many have some common elements. These common elements have ignited a debate, as outlined below. First, the common elements. Vehicle speed is almost always a factor. At […]
Top Five Ways to Prove Theft by Extortion in Georgia
One of the most infamous extortion cases in recent memory was the Autumn Jackson-Bill Cosby matter in the 1990s. According to prosecutor, Jackson, who claimed she was Cosby’s illegitimate doctor, threatened to sell her saga to a supermarket tabloid unless Cosby gave her $40 million. A federal jury sent her to prison. This case raises […]
What You Should Know About Bond Revocations
Bail reform is a hot topic these days. In about a half-dozen states (not including Georgia), roughly 80 percent of jail inmates are unsentenced. This statistic might be misleading. Many of these individuals have probably posted bail and are on their way out. Nevertheless, reformers paint a picture of individuals who have not been convicted […]
Theft by Deception: A Closer Look
Making false statements and taking things which are not yours are two of the most deeply ingrained “wrongs” in our society. A court of law is not a mosque, synagogue, or church. Nevertheless, many jurors have a hard time separating moral judgements from legal judgements. As a result, Section 16-8-3 cases are among the most […]
Probation Revocations: A Closer Look
Incarceration is very expensive. Georgia spends almost $20,000 per year per prison inmate. This number is very high, and it’s one of the lowest ones in the country. Reducing the prison population is a good way to reduce state expenses. But releasing people who plead guilty or are found guilty is clearly not an option. […]
Five Ways Prosecutors Upgrade Stalking Charges
Aggravated stalking charges blindside many defendants. Unlike other family violence defendants, such as assault defendants, many stalking defendants do not believe they did anything wrong. Additionally, the possible upgrades in Georgia’s aggravated stalking law are rather obscure. Furthermore, aggravated stalking carries a maximum ten years in prison. That’s an awful long time behind bars for […]
Breaking Down Georgia’s Child Abuse Laws
For centuries after Europeans arrived in the 1600s, American children were legally the property of their parents or guardians. The first children’s rights advocacy groups formed in the late 1800s. But there were still no child abuse laws. If prosecutors pursued child abuse cases, which were not very likely, they charged abusers with violating animal […]
What You Should Know About Forgery in Georgia
Most of us have forged something at one time or another. We might have faced more punishment than this, but we emerged relatively unscathed. As a result, many defendants do not think forgery charges are very serious, even if they face felony charges. The reality is much different, as forgery has severe direct and collateral […]
Insurance Fraud in Georgia: A Closer Look
According to the FBI, insurance fraud costs these firms about $40 billion per year. Since insurance companies largely reported these statistics, that number might be a bit inflated. But there is no doubt that insurance fraud is a serious problem, and Cobb County prosecutors aggressively go after fraudsters. In fact, when a tornado or other […]
Breaking Down a Georgia Disorderly Conduct Charge
Prior to the smartphone era, Section 16-11-39 of the Georgia Code was one of the most commonly charged offenses in Cobb County. If you looked at an officer wrong, you would probably be charged with disorderly conduct. Today, these charges aren’t quite as common, but they are still numerous. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, […]
