The Consequences of Criminal Convictions in Georgia

Atlanta Criminal Defense Lawyer

Georgia Criminal Law Attorneys

The consequences of criminal convictions in Georgia can be long lasting and serious. If you have been arrested for a crime or are subject to a criminal investigation, you should immediately contact an experienced Georgia criminal defense attorney. It is important that you fight the charges against you. A conviction will result in a criminal record, even if it is a minor crime. In Georgia the penalties for a crime will depend on whether the crime is classified as a misdemeanor crime or a felony crime. Felony is the more serious of the two. A misdemeanor offense is punishable with a jail term of not more than one year or a fine of less than $1000 or a combination. The felony crimes have a minimum prison term of one year and/or a minimum fine of $1000.

Some criminal statutes that specify the elements of a criminal offense also specify the penalty. In such cases, the penalty imposed with depend on the statute. In Georgia some crimes have mandatory sentencing requirements. These crimes include kidnapping, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery and rape. If you are convicted of such offenses, you must be sentenced to the minimum period as required by law. You can be sentenced to a longer period but no less. The mandatory sentence for aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery and rape is 25 years. For kidnapping the mandatory sentence is 14 years where the victim is over 14. Where the victim is under 14, the minimum sentence is 25 years. Once you have a criminal record, your freedom will be severely limited. Many jobs will be out of bounds for you, especially if you have a felony conviction on your record. Landlords will be reluctant to have you as their tenant. If you are convicted for a sex crime, you will have to register your name in a sex offender database. This will make it extremely difficult for you to get a place to stay. You will also not be considered for any job that requires interaction with children.

Georgia law has provisions for banning the ownership of firearms by persons convicted of felony offenses. Georgia law also has provisions forfeiture of the right to vote in case of a criminal conviction. In Georgia the judge will consider the criminal history of the person before sentencing him or her. A person with a criminal record will generally get an enhanced penalty. So if you have a prior conviction, you will receive a more severe sentence than a first time offender. In Georgia there is something called the “three strikes” law. Under this law, if you have two prior felony conviction, a third felony conviction will result in an automatic life sentence. You will not be eligible for parole. As you can see, a criminal conviction in Georgia can have severe consequences. It’s not just your freedom that is at stake. Your entire life will change. Even getting a job can prove to be a difficult task.