Pole Cameras and Curtilage: Suppressing Long-Term, Warrantless Video Surveillance Around the Home in Georgia Courts
Some police departments in the country have used pole cameras to surveil homes for weeks or even months without a warrant. Pole cameras are proficient at zooming in on porches, driveways, and yards to allow for the capture of private moments that were never intended to be shared with the public. In Georgia, these locations,… Continue reading Pole Cameras and Curtilage: Suppressing Long-Term, Warrantless Video Surveillance Around the Home in Georgia Courts
Read MoreThe ELD Deletion Problem: Seeking Spoliation Sanctions When Trucking ELD/Telematics Data “Disappears”
In trucking crash cases, electronic logging devices (ELDs) and telematics systems often hold the key to what happened. These tools record speed, braking, hours of service, location, and more. Federal law requires carriers to retain these records for six months and to back them up on a separate device. However, in some cases, this data… Continue reading The ELD Deletion Problem: Seeking Spoliation Sanctions When Trucking ELD/Telematics Data “Disappears”
Read MoreInsanity Defense in Georgia: Understanding ‘Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity’ vs. ‘Guilty but Mentally Ill’ Verdicts
Georgia law draws a hard line between having a mental illness and being legally insane. The standard is set in O.C.G.A. § 16-3-2: If, at the moment the crime happened, a person couldn’t tell right from wrong because of a mental illness or defect, they aren’t criminally responsible. There’s also O.C.G.A. § 16-3-3, which covers… Continue reading Insanity Defense in Georgia: Understanding ‘Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity’ vs. ‘Guilty but Mentally Ill’ Verdicts
Read MoreWhen the Government Causes Injury: Navigating Sovereign Immunity in Georgia for Accident Claims
Accidents with government vehicles, like a city garbage truck, county school bus, or state patrol car, are not handled the same way as crashes between private drivers. Georgia law gives state and local governments a layer of protection called sovereign immunity, which can block lawsuits in many situations. That doesn’t mean you have no recourse, but… Continue reading When the Government Causes Injury: Navigating Sovereign Immunity in Georgia for Accident Claims
Read MoreClearing Your Record in Georgia: How Record Restriction (Expungement) Can Give You a Second Chance
A criminal record can hang over your head for years, even after you have turned your life around. In Georgia, many people hear the term “expungement” and think it means the record is erased forever. Georgia uses what is called record restriction, which hides eligible records from public view. Who Can Get Their Record Restricted? Not… Continue reading Clearing Your Record in Georgia: How Record Restriction (Expungement) Can Give You a Second Chance
Read MorePursuing Punitive Damages in Georgia Accident Cases: Holding Reckless Parties Fully Accountable
When someone is seriously hurt in an accident, they usually think about medical bills and lost wages. However, in Georgia, there is another type of damage called punitive damages. These damages are meant to punish the person who caused the harm and stop them (and others) from doing it again. What “Willful or Wanton Conduct”… Continue reading Pursuing Punitive Damages in Georgia Accident Cases: Holding Reckless Parties Fully Accountable
Read MoreLeveraging Georgia’s First Offender Act: How to Keep a Conviction Off Your Record for a One-Time Mistake
When someone makes a mistake and ends up in court, the long-term impact of a conviction can be overwhelming. In Georgia, the First Offender Act offers a second chance without the burden of a criminal record. For many first-time offenders, this law can be the difference between a future with limitations and one with a… Continue reading Leveraging Georgia’s First Offender Act: How to Keep a Conviction Off Your Record for a One-Time Mistake
Read MoreDram Shop Laws in Georgia: Holding Bars and Restaurants Liable for Drunk Driving Injuries
When someone is injured in a drunk driving crash, blame often falls on the driver. But under Georgia’s dram shop law, a business that served alcohol to that driver could also be responsible. These laws aim to prevent drunk driving by holding bars, restaurants, and even private hosts accountable when they serve alcohol recklessly. When… Continue reading Dram Shop Laws in Georgia: Holding Bars and Restaurants Liable for Drunk Driving Injuries
Read MoreGeofence Warrants and the Digital Dragnet: Fighting Broad Cellphone Location Sweeps in Georgia Criminal Cases
Prosecutors in Georgia are using geofence warrants more and more to place people near a crime scene. These warrants collect location data, usually pulled from Google, from every phone in a certain area during a set time period. The issue? Most of the people caught up in that sweep haven’t done anything wrong. How Geofence… Continue reading Geofence Warrants and the Digital Dragnet: Fighting Broad Cellphone Location Sweeps in Georgia Criminal Cases
Read MoreTraumatic Brain Injury Claims: Using Cutting-Edge Neurological Evidence to Maximize Damages for Severe Head Injury Cases
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can have a lifelong impact, even when the damage is not visible on a traditional scan. In Georgia, accident victims with serious head injuries often face challenges proving the full extent of their harm, especially when symptoms like memory loss, mood swings, and chronic fatigue do not show up on a… Continue reading Traumatic Brain Injury Claims: Using Cutting-Edge Neurological Evidence to Maximize Damages for Severe Head Injury Cases
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