Defending Assault Cases in Marietta GA
Beginning in the early 1990s, the aggravated assault arrest rate began dropping nationwide. Then, the arrest rate leveled off in the early 2010s. Coronavirus lockdowns in 2020 accelerated a trend of rising assault arrest rates in Marietta, GA. Lots of people felt lots of pressure in 2020, and normal outlets, like the corner bar, were […]
Cash Bail Measure Fails
Lawmakers couldn’t agree on a compromise measure to expand cash bail, and the legislative session expired with the matter still up in the air. The Georgia House voted 95-81 on Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 63, which would have required cash or property bail for 31 additional crimes, including some misdemeanors. But the House and […]
Is Domestic Violence a Big Deal?
It depends on who you ask. Most defendants don’t think domestic violence is a big deal, especially if the alleged victim didn’t have to go to a hospital. Before the pandemic, many prosecutors felt the same way, especially if the two people were involved in a divorce or other civil dispute at the time of […]
Politician Urges FBI to Crack Down on Violent Crimes
Under pressure from U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, FBI Director Christopher Wray promised to focus on several different areas and stem the violent crime uptick in Georgia. Initially, Director Wray highlighted “traditional drivers” such as drugs, weapons, and gangs. He also expressed concern about an “alarming uptick” in violent juvenile crimes. Many at-risk children didn’t go […]
Rising Crime Motivates and Divides Atlanta-Area Voters
Historic violent crime levels are prompting citizens to go to the polls in 2022. Although everyone agrees there’s a problem, not everyone agrees on a solution. For the last three years, violent crime across Georgia has been on the rise. In the state’s largest city and capital, the murder rate has continued to increase and […]
New Jail Release Options in Cobb County
Comprehensive bail reform is sweeping through the country. These reinvent-the-wheel reforms have had mixed results. However, comprehensive bail reform hasn’t happened in Georgia, and it probably won’t happen. The Peachtree State has one of the lowest unsentenced inmate percentages in the nation. So, while lawmakers have embraced some tweaks, there’s a very strong “if it […]
Taking the FEAR Out of Bond Forfeiture Matters
Almost before their seats were warm, lawmakers in the very first session of Congress began considering the bundle of Constitutional amendments which became known as the Bill of Rights. This bundle included the Eighth Amendment. This provision is widely known for the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishments. More recently, the excessive fine prohibition has […]
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 […]
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 […]
How Do Bail Bonds Work?
Bail bonds are the primary pretrial jail release devices in Cobb County. Essentially, buying a bail bond is like buying an insurance policy. If Ted does not have fire insurance and his house burns down, he must pay to rebuild it. However, if Ted has a valid fire insurance policy, the insurance company bears the […]
