Chatham County, Georgia Criminal Defense attorney

Chatham County, Georgia Criminal Defense attorney

Typical “civil infractions” include “moving violations”, like “speeding” and “failure to yield.” Sometimes people get confused, when they are charged with a traffic misdemeanor, like having invalid license plates or driving an uninsured automobile, and feel that they are being charged with “civil infractions.” Traffic misdemeanors in Chatham County, Georgia are criminal offenses, and can create a criminal record. Some traffic misdemeanors also carry “points” which will be added to the defendant’s driving record, and some require the suspension of a driver’s license. If you are ticketed for a “misdemeanor,” the ticket will typically show the nature of the charge, and you must to appear in court. When the charge is a “civil infraction,” you typically will not have to go to court when you pay a fine by mail.

A defendant charged with a misdemeanor in Chatham County, Georgia has lesser legal rights than a defendant charged with a felony. When the defendant will not face imprisonment as a consequence of conviction, he has no right to a lawyer. There will be no right to indictment by grand jury, or to a “preliminary examination” to review the basis of the charges filed. In some states, misdemeanor charges are tried before six person juries, but felonies are often tried before twelve man juries. Many other rights are the same, for both felonies and misdemeanors.

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Savannah GA DUI Lawyer – Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney