Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

How Long Is a Georgia Weapons Carry License Valid? A Georgia Weapons Carry License (WCL) is valid for five years from the date of issuance. Georgia law sets a five-year term for Weapons Carry Licenses. It applies to both original licenses and renewals. The expiration date is printed on the physical license card. Georgia does…

The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is an FBI database built for police work. It contains records on wanted persons, missing persons, and stolen property. It also links each officer to the FBI's national index of criminal history records. Law enforcement and authorized criminal justice agencies across the country share that information in real time.…

Are DUI Records Public in Georgia? Yes, most Georgia DUI records are public. You need to understand which records are available and where to find them. Georgia's Open Records Act creates a strong presumption that public records should be available for inspection. The law defines "public record" broadly. It includes documents, computer files, and similar…

Does Georgia Have a Driving Curfew for 16- and 17-Year-Olds? Yes. Georgia's Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act (TADRA) placed nighttime driving restrictions for provisional license holders in the licensing code. Class D provisional license holders may not drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. The restriction rides on the license class, so this curfew for…

How Much Do Breathalyzers Cost? a Quick Answer A personal breathalyzer costs $20 to $150 or more. Basic keychain semiconductor units sit at the low end, and fuel-cell devices sit at the top. Professional-grade evidential instruments, like the Intoxilyzer 9000 used by Georgia law enforcement, are a different story. Those cost thousands of dollars and…

What Is Georgia's First Offender Act? Georgia's First Offender Act is codified under the First Offender Act. It is a sentencing option that allows eligible defendants to plead guilty or nolo contendere without a formal conviction on their record. This is not a diversion program. Under this structure, the court imposes a sentence. The sentence…

No. Prostitution is a crime in Georgia. Are brothels illegal here too? Yes, and so is every other form of paid sex work. The ban reaches every county and city in the state, with no legal or regulated exception. Unlike a small number of rural counties in Nevada, Georgia offers no framework for legal prostitution.…

What Is the NCIC Database? The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a centralized criminal justice database maintained by the FBI. The agency launched it in 1967. It serves as the backbone of law enforcement information sharing across the United States. The FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division operates the system from Clarksburg, West…

Can You Get a Ticket for Having a Headlight out in Georgia? Yes, you can get a ticket for having a broken, missing, or burned-out headlight, because Georgia requires headlights to be kept in proper working condition. Officers regularly write citations for this equipment failure. Georgia requires every motor vehicle on a highway to display…

What Is a No Trespassing Order in Georgia? A no trespassing order in Georgia is not a formal court order. It is a criminal trespass warning – sometimes called a "ban letter" or criminal trespass notice. A property owner or authorized person gives this notice to someone they want to keep off their property. Once…