Yes. Even if you never plan on going to trial or plan on pleading guilty, you should still hire an attorney to help you with your case.

In Georgia, probation is an act of the court, not of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Probation instead of imprisonment may be ordered by a court for all or part of a person’s sentence. Probation is not parole. Parole may be granted only by the Parole Board after a person has served part of their sentence in prison.

Misdemeanors can carry up to 12 months of jail time, while a felony conviction carries the risk of more than a year (and, for many offenses, multiple years) of incarceration in a state penitentiary. Misdemeanors are comparatively minor offenses while felonies are serious crimes.

Yes. The Fourth Amendment declares the need for a search warrant, but there are a number of general exceptions to the requirement.

These exceptions relate to searches and seizures that occur:

1. incident to (related to) a lawful arrest.
2. when an officer observes, in “plain view,” property that has been reported stolen or is contraband or otherwise illegal. (Contraband is something a private citizen cannot legally possess.)
3. when an officer has to take immediate action (referred to as “exigent circumstances’).
4. when an individual consents to the search.

If you are arrested in Georgia, you can make your defense in court. Say you wish to remain silent and ask for a lawyer immediately. Tell the police nothing, except your name, age, and address. Don’t give explanations or stories or try to excuse the conduct.

No, but there are circumstances when the police can search your car without a warrant. They are under these general circumstances:

1. You have given the officer consent;
2. The officer has probable cause to believe there is evidence of a crime in your vehicle;
3. The officer reasonably believes a search is necessary for their own protection (a hidden weapon, for example); and
4. You have been arrested and the search is related to that arrest (such as a search for illegal drugs).

It is never too early to start an estate plan. This will assist in assets being distributed in the event of a tragedy.

No. It is never too early to start an estate plan. Once you turn 18, your parents no longer have authority to make healthcare or financial decisions for you. That’s why it’s important to visit with a lawyer and get an estate plan in order.

Depending on the complexity of your individual needs, estate planning costs can vary greatly.

It’s very common for a lawyer to charge a flat fee to write a will and other basic estate planning documents. The low end for a simple lawyer-drafted will is around $300. A price of closer to $1,000 is more common, and it’s not unusual to find a $1,500 price tag.

A will and a trust are two different estate planning tools. Trusts offer more control of assets, but they are more expensive, can be tedious to set up, and must be actively managed. If you do not have an estate-transfer plan, the state in which you live and the federal government will have one for you. Making this a priority now can save money and precious time later.

A living trust helps manage your affairs while you’re alive and well. It also serves to maintain the status quo while you’re alive but not so well and at your death. Only a living will can unequivocally state your wishes for end of life.

A revocable living trust is a trust document created by an individual that can be changed over time. Revocable living trusts are used to avoid probate and to protect the privacy of the trust owner and beneficiaries of the trust as well as minimize estate taxes.

Not all executors need to turn a probate court proceeding over to a lawyer or even hire a lawyer for limited advice. If the estate that you’re handling doesn’t contain unusual assets and isn’t too large, you may be able to get by just fine without a lawyer’s help. However, there are many complicated aspects of the probate process and it can be a very trying time. We recommend hiring a lawyer.

In the state of Georgia, when someone dies with only a will, or not even that basic protection in place, their estate must go through a court process known as probate.