Court of Appeals GA

Georgia Appeals Court Explains Cumulative Evidence

When a conviction is challenged in Georgia, appellate courts often evaluate whether legal missteps truly impacted the outcome. In a recent case, the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld convictions despite valid defense claims—ruling that the cumulative evidence was still strong enough to support the verdict. Understanding how courts apply the cumulative evidence standard can make all the difference in building or appealing a criminal defense case in Cobb, Bartow, or Paulding County.

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gas station

Perpetrator’s Confessions Must Still Be Corroborated by Evidence

The Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed the DeKalb County conviction of Santonio Spratlin, who confessed to robbing a gas station where he was a frequent customer.

Spratlin appealed, arguing that his confession should have been corroborated by additional evidence under O.C.G.A. § 24-8-823, which requires proof beyond a defendant’s own admission.

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child-molestation

Georgia’s Court of Appeals Explains Exceptions to Rape Shield Statute

The Georgia Court of Appeals recently clarified how the Rape Shield Statute applies to false allegations in sexual assault and child molestation cases.

Randy Morgan, Jr. was convicted in Evans County Superior Court of child molestation involving his stepdaughter. He appealed, arguing that her prior false allegation should have been admitted as evidence under one of the statute’s exceptions.

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retail theft attorney

Corroboration is the Difference between Misdemeanor and Felony

The Georgia Court of Appeals recently clarified when corroborating evidence is required in criminal cases.

After being convicted in Whitfield Superior Court of misdemeanor theft by taking, Robert Heatherly Jr. appealed, claiming his accomplice’s testimony was insufficient without additional proof. However, the Court ruled that corroboration applies only to felony cases, not misdemeanors.

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