Blog News -

GSP Helicopter Marijuana Raid Yields a Heap of Okra

Time Magazine reported on October 7, 2014, that Georgia State Patrol Marijuana Eradication Team raids homeowners garden and seized a heap of Okra in Cartersville in Bartow County Georgia.  Apparently, either the Officers had been at another location previously burning illegal Marijuana bushes which rendered them unable to distinguish between okra and marijuana leaves or […]

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In the war on DUI where are the hearts and minds of the people

October 1, 2014. Espn.com reported that Micheal Phelps registered a .14 on his DUI breath test. That is not an interesting story. The interesting story is found in the comments to the story.  Many of the commenters called DUI laws a joke and a scam.  The comments ranged from the legal limit being too low […]

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Holland v State – wrong name on blood sample is not an abuse of discretion in overruling chain of custody

Holland v. State, A14A1119, September 23, 2014. Donnie Holland pulled out in front of a Carroll County Sheriff’s Deputy who allegedly had activated his emergency blue lights and siren.  Trooper Garmon of the Georgia State Patrol investigated the accident and notice no indications of impairment in Holland at the scene. Trooper Garmon followed Holland to […]

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State v Cartwright – 2 brake lights and a statute is not enough to avoid traffic stop

State v. Cartwright, A14A1392, September 24, 2014. The State appealed after Allison Cartwright had her DUI dismissed in Cobb County State Court after a motion hearing where the Trial Court found that Cartwright had not violated a traffic law requiring only two operational brake lights by having two operational brake lights but an inoperable center […]

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Why is the reasonable doubt standard so important in a DUI case

Why Beyond a Reasonable Doubt? Scholars debate where the concept of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt originated from 18th-century lawyers in England, 16th Century theologians in Spain, 17th-century scholars of science in England, or from the Boston Massacre in 1770. Despite this historical controversy, United States Supreme Court Justice John Marshal Harlan II, considered a conservative […]

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Georgia State Patrol to start DUI task force along Interstate I-20

New GSP Nighthawk Unit is formed to patrol I-20 East September 18, 2014. The Rockdale Citizen reported the Georgia State Patrol (hereinafter GSP) announced the formation of a new DUI task force of GSP Nighthawks to patrol Interstate I-20 from Conyers to Georgia State line in Augusta and the 21 counties in between. This new […]

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Worlds v State – it takes some serious balls to base a stop on that

Worlds v. State, A14A1112 (August 14, 2014). In November 2012, Teresa Worlds was pulled over by police in Hall County because the 4th digit of her license plate was obstructed by a trailer hitch ball mounted on the bumper. During the traffic stop, the police officer found drugs in plain view. Worlds presented photos at […]

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Is Drinking after a DUI crash or stop a good idea

On Saturday, August 30, 2014, the Tampa Bay Times posted an article on whether if you drink after a DUI crash can you avoid a DUI? In Georgia, a DUI whether based on a breath or blood test or if there is no chemical test, based on your ability to drive safe (which is determined […]

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Atlanta Police Department weighing body cameras for police officers

August 21, 2014. WSBTV.com reported that Atlanta police are seriously considering the department-wide implementation of body cameras in the wake of the Michael Brown police shooting which triggered rioting and civil disobedience in Ferguson, Missouri. Typically, these cameras clip to the uniform or can be attached to sunglasses, hats, or the head similar to a google […]

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