Attorney Serving Paulding County, GA

You can, but remember the old saying “the person who represents himself has a fool for a client”. In all but the most simple traffic cases it is never a good idea to go into court without a lawyer. And it goes without saying that acting as your own lawyer is extremely dangerous. The DA is not your friend and will you will be at a huge disadvantage because you don’t know the rules of evidence and procedure. This will give the DA an absolute advantage over you.

While probation can be given by the judge in many cases, it is not always an available option. Depending on the crime charged, probation may be excluded as an option according to law. Other than the restriction set by law, judges have great latitude when considering probation for a defendant. Some of the things judges look at when considering probation are:

• The type of crime
• The criminal history of the defendant
• Whether the defendant is already on probation
• How the defendant acted while on A previous probation sentence
• The likelihood the defendant will reoffend
• Defendant’s stability- job, school, family, counseling, etc.

This web site is a good resource for information on probation. However, never assume any of the information applies to your case. Always speak with an attorney. Verify the information applies to your case.

http://www.georgiacourts.gov/sites/default/files/misdemeanor%20probation_1.pdf

If you are serving a probated sentence it is imperative that you follow all of the conditions of your probation. Some conditions will be general and some will be specific to you.

If you “violate” the conditions of your probation you need to contact my office immediately. Violations of probation are very serious. A violation can result in jail time.

Depending on the seriousness of the violation, and other factors, the judge could “revoke” some of or all of the remaining probation sentence. In addition, in certain situations, your probation may be tolled for a period of time causing you more time on probation.

At the law firm of Glen Albright I am committed to helping my clients understand their rights and what they can do to protect those rights and freedoms. Don’t put your freedom and liberty in jeopardy. Call me today.

First offender is a status attached to a sentence issued by the judge in felony cases. There is a similar status for misdemeanors called “conditional discharge”. You can only plead as a first offender once. And it is not available for every criminal charge. However, if you are eligible for first offender, after you have served your entire sentence, you will not have a felony conviction on your record.  However, first offender is a stick and carrot program. Meaning, if you complete your sentence without having any problems, you will not have a felony record. However, if you catch another charge, the judge can revoke your first offender status and resentence you according to the original sentencing penalties. So, if you got 2 years on probation for a felony and you plead as a first offender and you get violated for a new charge, and the original charge had a penalty of 5 years in jail, the judge can revoke the status and resentence to the 5 years. So if you plead as a first offender you must be extremely careful to not reoffend. And if you do catch a new charge you need to contact me at once so we can protect your first offender status.