Georgia Legislature Moves Closer to Expanded Expunction Laws
Lawmakers advanced a pair of eleventh-hour proposals which, advocates claim, would make it easier for people convicted of minor offenses to move on with their lives. The House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 157, intended to give Georgians convicted of minor offenses more access to professional licenses needed to work in one of […]
Post-Conviction Matters in Georgia
Judges sentence most defendants to probation. Nationwide, about three million people are under court supervision (probation or parole). The prison population is under two million. Usually, court supervision includes restrictive conditions. Additionally, Georgia law doesn’t cap the length of probation. Therefore, court supervision terms in the Peach State are much longer than the terms in […]
Post-Conviction Relief in Georgia: A Closer Look
The game doesn’t always end when the final horn blows. In 2011, because of massive rules violations, the NCAA stripped USC of its 2004 BCS national title. Standout tailback Reggie Bush also relinquished his Heisman trophy after the NCAA threatened to take it back. Allegedly, a sports company gave Bush and his family over $280,000 […]
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 […]