Blog

After formal charges have been brought against a criminal defendant (either by indictment or accusation), the case will be scheduled for arraignment. I often receive calls asking what on earth an arraignment is and what the defendant and his/her family should expect to occur at the hearing. As I tell all my clients, an arraignment is nothing to be feared.… read more →

Every day scores of people across Georgia get arrested for possessing some type of illegal drug. So what are your options if you are guilty of possessing something and you don’t have a good defense (i.e. you don’t have a viable basis for a Motion to Suppress). PLEAD GUILTY BUT WITH NO CONVICTION ON YOUR RECORD One excellent option is… read more →

The purpose of a preliminary hearing is for a magistrate court judge to determine whether there is sufficient probable cause to support the warrant against the defendant. The State has the burden of proving that there was, in fact, probable cause for the arrest of the defendant. Typically, evidence is presented through a witness (usually the arresting officer or case detective) regarding the… read more →

As with stories, there are two sides to arrest warrants: the side of the person or institute seeking the warrant and the side of the person who is going to be arrested. Arrest warrants are issued by magistrate court judges after probable cause has been shown that a crime was committed. Many arrests happen without a warrant being obtained first.… read more →