Georgia Criminal Defense Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced Georgia criminal defense attorneys who navigate the state’s Seven Deadly Sins mandatory minimums, the First Offender Act (O.C.G.A.

Free to use — fees quoted upfront, before you commit
Matched with a Georgia attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free Georgia criminal defense case review

A Georgia attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

How we match your Georgia criminal defense case

When you submit a Georgia criminal defense matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A criminal defense matter needs someone who handles criminal defense work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Georgia law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Georgia who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with a criminal defense claim in Georgia

Day 0
Arrest or charge.
Say nothing beyond identifying yourself and ask for a lawyer. Do not consent to searches. Everything after this is built on what you did not say.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A Georgia criminal defense attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Days 1–14
First appearance and bail.
Your attorney addresses release conditions and gets the charging documents. In Georgia, this is where the tone of the case is set.
Weeks to months
Discovery and motions.
Police reports, video, lab work, witness statements. Motions to suppress or dismiss are filed where the evidence was obtained improperly.
Before trial
Negotiation or trial.
Most cases resolve by dismissal or plea; some go to trial. Your attorney advises on the risk of each with the actual evidence in hand.
Resolution
Outcome and record.
Fees are quoted before you commit — hourly or a retainer, spelled out in writing at the free consultation.

Felony Statute of Limitations: No limit
No limit for murder, armed robbery, kidnapping; 15 years for serious sex offenses against minors; 7 years for most other felonies; 4 years for property/financial felonies (O.C.G.A. § 17-3-1)
Misdemeanor Statute of Limitations: 2 years
2 years for most misdemeanors (O.C.G.A. § 17-3-1(d))
Sentencing Structure: Indeterminate ranges
Indeterminate ranges in individual statutes; Seven Deadly Sins mandatory minimums under O.C.G.A. § 17-10-6.1; Habitual Violator/recidivist under § 17-10-7; Georgia Sentencing Guidelines (advisory)
Expungement / Record Sealing: 4 years
O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 (record restriction); SB 288 (2020) expanded restriction to many misdemeanor convictions after 4 years; First Offender Act (§ 42-8-60) — no conviction entered on successful completion
Bail / Pretrial Release: Bail
Bail under O.C.G.A. § 17-6-1; constitutional right to bail with exceptions for capital offenses and the Seven Deadly Sins; Superior Court must set bond for most felonies (§ 17-6-1(b))
Typical attorney fee: Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee

Georgia uses a “felony/misdemeanor” classification under O.C.G.A. Title 16 — but most felonies are punishable by ranges established in individual statutes rather than felony classes. Mandatory minimums dominate the structure. The Seven Deadly Sins statute (O.C.G.A. § 17-10-6.1) requires fixed mandatory sentences without parole eligibility for seven serious violent felonies: murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, and aggravated sexual battery. The Georgia Sentencing Guidelines (Council of Superior Court Judges) provide presumptive ranges for non-mandatory cases. Georgia’s First Offender Act (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60) is uniquely valuable — eligible first-time offenders can plead and complete probation without entry of conviction. Conditional Discharge (O.C.G.A. § 16-13-2) provides similar relief for first-time drug offenders. Georgia’s record restriction (the state’s expungement equivalent) was expanded by SB 288 (2020), allowing restriction of many misdemeanor convictions after 4 years. Georgia legalized hemp-derived cannabinoids (THCA flower, delta-8) but not recreational marijuana — possession remains a misdemeanor up to 1 oz, felony over 1 oz.

Exhibit B

When to call a criminal defense attorney in Georgia

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Criminal Defense cases we take in Georgia

Which one is closest to yours?

DUI / DUI Less Safe

Georgia DUI under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391 (.08 BAC plus DUI Less Safe alternative theory without a BAC requirement). First offense: up to 12 months jail, $300–$1,000 fine, 1-year license suspension. Second: 90 days minimum (72 hours mandatory). Third: 120 days minimum. Fourth in 10 years: felony.

Sound like yours? A Georgia attorney reviews it free — fees are quoted upfront, before you commit.

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Exhibit D

How much do Georgia criminal defense attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

Georgia · Criminal Defense

Fee modelHourly / Flat Fee

Feequoted per petition or matter

Filing costsitemized upfront

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Criminal Defense matters in Georgia are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.

Criminal defense attorneys in Georgia work on hourly or flat-fee retainers — contingency fees are prohibited in criminal cases under Ga. R. Prof. Conduct 1.5(d) and ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Misdemeanors and most felonies are flat-fee; complex cases use hourly billing. Georgia’s circuit-based Public Defender system represents indigent defendants.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your Georgia criminal defense compensation can include

A Georgia criminal defense recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Charge Dismissal

Outright dismissal through motion to suppress, general demurrer (motion to dismiss the indictment/accusation), speedy trial under O.C.G.A. § 17-7-170/171, or DA nolle prosequi.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

Georgia criminal defense questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Georgia attorney will review it for free.

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No. Politely decline and ask for an attorney. Georgia law enforcement — Atlanta PD, GBI, GSP, county sheriffs — use trained interrogation techniques. Anything you say can and will be used. Invoke your Fifth Amendment right to silence and Sixth Amendment right to counsel under Miranda.

Yes. Georgia misdemeanors carry up to 12 months in jail and $1,000 fines under O.C.G.A. § 17-10-3. Many misdemeanors are eligible for Pretrial Intervention or Diversion through county DAs. First Offender Act treatment (§ 42-8-60) preserves no-conviction status if available. DV misdemeanors trigger federal § 922(g)(9) firearm ban.

State cases go through Georgia Superior Court (felonies) or State/Magistrate/Municipal Court (misdemeanors). Federal cases go to U.S. District Court for the Northern (Atlanta, Gainesville, Rome, Newnan), Middle (Macon, Albany, Columbus, Athens, Valdosta), or Southern (Savannah, Brunswick, Augusta) Districts of Georgia under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Federal drug trafficking on I-85/I-75/I-20 corridors and ATL-airport offenses are common.

Georgia plea agreements under O.C.G.A. § 17-7-93 and Uniform Superior Court Rule 33 are negotiated between the District Attorney’s office and defense. Pleas can include charge reductions, First Offender Act treatment (§ 42-8-60), Conditional Discharge (§ 16-13-2) for drugs, and stipulated sentences. The judge must accept the plea but usually follows agreed recommendations.

Yes — Georgia uses “record restriction” rather than expungement. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, arrests without conviction can be restricted relatively quickly. SB 288 (2020) added the ability to restrict many misdemeanor convictions after 4 years of conviction-free status. First Offender Act and Conditional Discharge completions automatically result in no conviction being entered. Many serious felonies, DV offenses, and sex offenses are excluded.

Georgia handles juveniles under 17 in juvenile court under O.C.G.A. § 15-11-1 et seq. (Note: Georgia is one of only two states with a juvenile-age ceiling of 17 — though efforts to raise it to 18 have been ongoing.) Juvenile records are confidential under § 15-11-79 and sealable under § 15-11-701. Designated felonies and the seven mandatory adult-court offenses for 13-17 year olds create permanent adult records.

Georgia DUI under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391 uses .08 BAC (.04 commercial, .02 under-21). Implied consent under § 40-5-67.1 — refusal triggers 1-year administrative license suspension. Ignition interlock required for second-offense DUI within 5 years and many high-BAC first offenses (§ 42-8-111). Fourth DUI in 10 years is a felony.