I am not a mechanic, so when my truck needs work, I do not attempt to go to a dentist to work on my truck; I go to a mechanic. The same is true for someone who has been charged with a crime. You do not go to a real estate lawyer or a divorce lawyer, you go to a criminal defense lawyer . When your liberty is at stake, or your driver's license, or your rights are at risk, you go to a person who has experience and training so that you are effectively represented.
If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime, your rights are at stake, as well as your liberty. Each and every crime in the State of Georgia, excluding some traffic offenses, carries the possibility of incarceration, and that includes speeding tickets. Why risk your liberty without understanding what rights you may have and how to protect those rights?
For example, a police officer recently pulled over a client and charged him for speeding. The client was on probation for DUI . The client thought he could pay his ticket and be done with it. At the time he was pulled over, he was driving on a work permit as a result of the DUI. The client paid the speeding ticket, thinking the case had been resolved. However, within a few days, he received a notice from Georgia's Department of Driver Services notifying him that his work permit had been revoked because of the speeding ticket. He contacted our office and we were able to get the plea set aside, save his work permit, and convince the probation officer not to pursue revocation.
A skilled criminal defense attorney is going to know the ramifications of a plea or conviction and seek alternatives to save a driver's license or keep the person out of jail.
Another aspect of hiring a criminal defense attorney is to protect your rights. We all live by precepts or rules, including law enforcement officers and prosecutors. When a law enforcement officer violates the rules she is required to follow, she should be held accountable for that violation.
An example, a client was a passenger in a vehicle that law enforcement pulled over for over-tinted windows. The officer was very aggressive with my client and searched him under the pretense that my client had an outstanding arrest warrant. At the motion hearing, the judge made a decision that he wanted to see the arrest warrant. Neither the officer nor the prosecutor could produce a warrant. The officer did not have a right to search my client. The judge threw out the evidence and the case was dismissed.
If an officer is allowed to violate laws affecting proper search and seizure, then we are all in jeopardy. That is why you need to hire a skilled criminal defense attorney who has experience, training and passion for protecting a person's rights, liberty and future.
If you want to protect your rights and liberty, please contact our office and we can discuss your case with you.