Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

What Counts as Driving on a Suspended License in Georgia? Driving on a suspended license in Georgia means operating a motor vehicle on a Georgia roadway without valid driving rights. The privilege must be suspended, revoked, canceled, or disqualified. You must also know about that status. Georgia treats driving while license suspended as a criminal…

What Is a Motion to Vacate or Modify an Order of Protection? A motion to vacate or modify an order of protection is a formal written request to a Georgia court. The request asks the court to either cancel a protective order entirely or change its specific terms. If you were just served and the…

What Is a 1st Offense DWI in Georgia? A 1st offense DWI in Georgia refers to a first-time charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Georgia law uses the term “DUI” rather than “DWI,” but many drivers search for both terms. The charge falls under impaired driving offenses, which covers all such…

What Counts as a First-Time Drug Offense in Georgia? A first-time drug offense is any drug-related charge, most commonly possession of a controlled substance. Drug crimes in Georgia range from misdemeanor marijuana possession to felony trafficking. It applies to people with no prior drug convictions. Georgia treats drug charges under the Georgia Controlled Substances Act.…

What Is Considered a Habitual DUI in Georgia? Habitual DUI means a pattern of repeat drunk driving offenses. Each new case brings harsher penalties and license fallout under Georgia law. Georgia does not use the exact statutory term "habitual DUI." Instead, the law comes down harder on a driver with each new drunk driving conviction…

How Long Can You Be Held Without Bond in Georgia? In Georgia, a person arrested without a warrant must generally appear before a judge within 48 hours. If police made the arrest with a warrant, state law requires a first appearance within 72 hours. For most misdemeanors and lower-level felonies, a judge sets bond at…

By Atlanta Criminal Defense Lawyer Larry Kohn, a 28-year veteran defender in courtrooms all over GA, and a Super Lawyer 9 years in a row Reckless driving in Georgia can be either a serious misdemeanor, or even charged as a felony. Reckless driving is one of the few “serious” misdemeanor offenses in the state criminal…

Most forms of gambling are illegal in Georgia in 2026. The only legal exceptions are the Georgia State Lottery, licensed charitable bingo, and charitable raffles. Casino games and sports betting are both banned, and that ban covers online sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel, Bovada, and Novig. Horse and dog racing bets are illegal too, as…

By Atlanta DUI Lawyer Larry Kohn, a 28-Year Courtroom Veteran Who Has Handled Thousands of DUI Cases The most common sentence for a first DUI in Georgia in 2026 typically includes multiple conviction penalties like community service, an alcohol and drug abuse assessment, court fines, reporting probation, DUI school, suspended license, an ignition interlock, and…

Georgia treats simple battery, battery, simple assault, and aggravated assault as four separate crimes. Any one of them becomes a family violence case when the alleged victim is a family or household member. That single label changes the penalties and the lasting consequences. It also changes how a court handles the case, far more than…