Recent Blog Posts
When Are Property Owners Liable For Injuries In Georgia?
Premises liability is a legal concept that holds property owners and occupiers responsible for maintaining a safe environment for visitors. When someone is injured on another person’s property due to negligence, they may have grounds to pursue a premises liability claim. In Georgia, the laws surrounding premises liability outline specific duties for property owners,… Read More »
Georgia Appeals Court Upholds Incest Conviction
There are a number of sex-based offenses that can land you in serious legal trouble in Georgia. One of them is incest. Georgia law defines incest as engaging in sexual intercourse “with a person whom he or she knows he or she is related to be blood, by adoption, or by marriage.” Under this… Read More »
What Happens If You Fail to Appear for a Federal Criminal Trial?
Even when someone is released on bail pending a criminal trial, they are still required to make a number of court appearances, both before and during their trial. Any failure to appear can lead to the defendant’s immediate arrest on a bench warrant. This means they can be forced to wait in jail until… Read More »
What Is an Apartment Complex Owner’s Duty to Inspect Their Premises?
Georgia’s premises liability laws hold property owners responsible for certain injuries sustained by “invitees,” i.e., persons invited upon the premises for any lawful purpose. With respect to such invitees, the property owner must “exercise ordinary care in keeping the premises and approaches safe.” This includes having procedures in place to conduct regular inspections of… Read More »
The Role of Causation in a Georgia Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
When you file a personal injury lawsuit following a car accident in Georgia, you need to prove causation. That is, you need to present sufficient evidence for a jury to conclude that the defendant’s actions caused your accident. But you also need to prove the accident caused your injuries. It is not enough to… Read More »
Can You Use a Gun in Self-Defense If You’re a Convicted Felon?
Under Georgia law, there are situations where a person can lawfully use force in self-defense. This includes using a firearm. But federal law prohibits certain persons–notably most convicted felons–from possessing a firearm. So what happens when a convicted felon uses a firearm in self-defense? Georgia Man Convicted on Federal Charges Following Shooting Federal courts… Read More »
Do the Police Need a Field Sobriety Test to Make a DUI Arrest?
In drunk driving cases, a police officer needs only “reasonable suspicion” to initiate a traffic stop but “probable cause” to make an arrest. Probable cause requires enough proof for a person of sufficient knowledge, relying on trustworthy information, to believe that the suspect has committed–or is committing–a crime. In DUI cases, this can include… Read More »
Can You “Renew” a Georgia Personal Injury Lawsuit After Dismissing It?
If you wish to file a personal injury lawsuit, you need to be aware of the applicable statute of limitations. For most Georgia personal injury claims, the statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of the original injury. In some cases–notably those involving medical malpractice–the 2-year clock may not start to run… Read More »
Who Is Responsible for a Jackknife Accident?
“Jackknifing” is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to a commercial truck on a public highway. Jackknifing describes a scenario where the trailer of a semi-truck pushes the cab to one side, creating a shape that resembles a pocket knife or jackknife. While such accidents are often the result of negligence… Read More »
Top 5 Mistakes That Can Lead to Probation Revocation
Probation offers an opportunity to serve a sentence outside of jail, but it comes with strict conditions. Violating these conditions, even unintentionally, can result in probation revocation, which may lead to additional penalties, including incarceration. Understanding the common mistakes that lead to probation violations is crucial for anyone currently serving probation. At Hawkins Spizman,… Read More »