Voir Dire in Georgia: The Most Important Stage of a Jury Trial
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There is no doubt that opening and closing arguments are important stages of a jury trial.
But, it is the process of voir dire that gives an attorney the opportunity to
pull the truth out about a juror’s beliefs and biases. In fact, the phrase
“voir dire” derives from a Middle French oath mea...
“It
is impossible to be sure of anything but death and taxes.”
We have all heard this saying before. In fact, it was
first said during the dawn of the 18th century and is now a common idiom
in our English language. Here at Bixon Law, we have discovered another truism
in life—people fight,...
The state of Georgia has
various gun licensing requirements. Such laws outline when a person needs a
license to carry a handgun, where a person can carry a handgun and the
penalties for violating Georgia’s gun laws. There are also certain types of
firearms that are prohibited in the state of Geor...
You are facing a robbery conviction and you have questions.
First, you are wondering if you can be charged with robbery if you didn’t use a
weapon? Second, all you did was snatch the woman’s purse and ran. How can you
be charged with robbery without using any force or making any threats? Third,...
While many cases involving juveniles are handled by the Juvenile Court system, there are some that are transferred to Superior Court where a child under the age of 17 can be tried as an adult. If you visit the Georgia Department of Corrections website, you can view the profiles of juveniles (both m...
“Freeway” Ricky Ross, Demetrius and Terry Flenory and Frank
Lucas are among some of America’s most famous drug lords. Another fact that
they all have in common is that they were introduced to the world of drugs as
minors. “Freeway” Ricky Ross has reportedly said that he was introduced to
...
Despite
public opinion these days, the job of law enforcement officers is to serve and
protect the communities which they police. Therefore, when crimes are committed
against people in the community, it is law enforcement’s duty to investigate
such crimes in a fair and unbiased manner. However, w...
Desperate and
stressful financial times often lead people to make poor decisions that result
in them breaking the law. A common financial crime committed during such times
is deposit account fraud which, essentially, occurs when a person makes a
payment with a financial instrument such as a che...
Simple
Assault in Georgia: Is Physical Contact or Specific Intent Required?
Under Georgia law, simple assault is categorized as a “Crime
Against the Person.” It is a category of offenses that can be easily
misunderstood. Many people who don’t have in-depth knowledge of the law may
think th...
Whether a house fire or a wildfire, fires are
either accidentally or intentionally set and as with every fire, people’s lives
and property are at risk. Accidents happen; however, if someone intentionally
sets a fire he or she could be charged with arson. In the state of Georgia, the
crime of ...
Hazing—it’s
a traditional part of the initiation process for many sororities and
fraternities across university campuses in this country. New pledges who cross
the line over into Greek life are subjected to outrageous hazing rituals. In
college, I remember a friend of mine who pledged a fratern...
In the America we live in today, it is imperative
that private citizens know their rights. The Fourth Amendment protects us
“against unreasonable searches and seizures” and “no warrants shall issue, but
upon probable cause.” In order for the Fourth Amendment to be triggered, an
encounter be...
When a person takes the life of another, the act is often described simply as “murder.” However, murder is a type of homicide crime along with manslaughter. And, manslaughter can be either involuntary or voluntary. I know, it can get confusing. That’s why if you have been accused or are ...
The holiday season is always filled with food,
family and fun—and alcohol, which can result in serious legal issues if you
make the decision to drink and drive and you just happen to stumble upon a DUI
checkpoint. To some, DUI roadblocks and sobriety checkpoints are viewed as a
trap by law enforc...
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatal hit and run crashes are trending upwards. In Georgia this year, there have been a number of hit and run cases.
While there are many reasons why a person may choose to leave the scene of an accident, it’s important to under...
You have been single for a while and decide to test the
waters of online dating. One day, you receive a message from “SheBadd_1987.”
You review her profile. She has stated that she attends the local community
college, waitresses at a local bar and has her own apartment. Also, her profile
pictur...
Early on an August morning of this year—at exactly 2:20
a.m.—Cobb County resident Elvin Durant pulled out a black folding knife and
stabbed his pregnant wife to death. Unfortunately, the unborn child also died.
Durant was arrested and charged with felony murder, feticide and two counts of
aggra...
The right of the people to be secure in their persons,
houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall
not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,
supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be
searched, and th...
After all of the 20/20, Dateline and 48 Hour Mystery episodes
that have aired overtime about a husband, a wife or a mistress hiring someone
to hire someone else to kill or harm their significant other one would think
that everyone knows by now that no matter how far you have tried to remove
yo...
You’re drunk! Your eyes are blood
shot red. Your speech is slurred. You’re stumbling out of the bar. And, you’re
wearing the stench of alcohol like it’s a new scent of cologne—it’s all over
you. The bartender should have stopped serving you after you had your tenth
beer, but you flashed...