If you are facing a felony charge in Union City, you run the risk of receiving harsh penalties. You may be sentenced to at least one year and sometimes even decades in prison. Having a felony on your record can make it difficult to apply for student loans, qualify for higher education, obtain housing, and get a job.
The Law Offices of Gilbert Sperling, III, P.C handles all types of felony charges in Union City, GA. A felony charge should be treated seriously and handled as soon as possible with the help of an experienced and qualified Union City felony defense attorney. A conviction can not only cost you your freedom but also damage your reputation in society and impact your personal life as well.
Are you facing a felony charge? If so, you need a competent Union City criminal defense attorney who is passionate and dedicated to securing your freedom. Attorney Gil from the Law Offices of Gilbert Sperling, III, P.C is ready and willing to help.
Contact us at 404-418-7816 to get the professional legal assistance you need for your case. We offer a free initial case evaluation.
How Does a Felony Differ From a Misdemeanor?
Crimes are categorized as either felonies or misdemeanors, based on how serious the offenses are. Felonies are more serious than misdemeanors and carry harsher penalties. Typically, felonies come with at least one year (and sometimes even decades) in prison. Misdemeanors, on the other hand, may probation and/or rehabilitation, fines, community service, or up to one year in jail.
Legal processes also differ between misdemeanors and felonies. With a felony, you are required to appear at a preliminary or indictment trial, and then potentially face a jury trial. With a misdemeanor, you will appear before the judge, but you don’t have to face a jury.
Common Felony Cases
Felony charges can lead to one or multiple years in prison. Regardless of the type of felony crime you are being accused of, having a felony charge on your record can have a lifelong effect.
To safeguard your rights and build a strong defense, it’s important that you contact our team at the Law Offices of Gilbert Sperling, III, P.C. We have the experience, skills, and knowledge required to assist you to get your charge dismissed or significantly reduced.
Some of the common felony cases Attorney Gil handles in Union City, GA include:
- Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
- Drug Crimes
- Forgery and Counterfeiting
- Fraud
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Felony Theft Crimes, including grand larceny, burglary, and auto theft
- Violent Crimes, including rape, assault, robbery, murder, and manslaughter
- Weapons Violations
What Are the Degrees of Felonies in Georgia?
There are several different types of felony charges in Georgia. They can include:
- Felonies against public safety, like looting, rioting, or terrorist threats and activities.
- Felonies involving fraud, like counterfeiting, forgery, embezzlement, and credit card fraud.
- Felonies against property, like criminal trespass, robbery, arson, and burglary.
- Felonies against people, like murder, manslaughter, battery, and assault.
Unlike other states, Georgia doesn’t divide felonies into categories like Class A through E, or Class 1 through E. Instead the law establishes the maximum penalty for different crimes. Murder charges carry the harshest and most severe penalties.
Aggravating factors can lead to enhanced punishments. Some crimes carry mandatory minimum sentences.
What Are the Felony Penalties in Georgia?
Aside from fines and prison time, once you are convicted of a felony, you receive a permanent criminal record. This can have numerous negative consequences for your personal life and financial security.
A felony record makes it difficult to obtain professional licenses for careers such as teaching, pharmacy, nursing, real estate, electrician, and plumbing, apply for student loans, qualify for higher education, obtain housing, and get a job.
In Georgia, felony sentencing is not based on degrees or categories. Instead, the law sets a maximum penalty for different crimes.
A murder conviction carries the most severe penalties and is punishable by life in prison without parole or death. Other felonies with harsh penalties include rape and armed robbery, which can attract a prison sentence of between 10 and 25 years.
In some cases, a crime may be considered a “wobbler,” which means it may be punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. This means a judge can reduce the sentence down from a felony to a misdemeanor. This is usually done depending on the circumstances of the case.
Here are some examples of maximum felony penalties:
- 5-year felony: sexual battery of a child under 16, obstructing a police officer.
- 10-year felony: theft by extortion, aggravated stalking.
- 20-year felony: armed carjacking, battery, or aggravated assault.
- 30-year felony: incest, enticement of child under 16.
- 40-year felony: using an explosive to injure or kill somebody, terroristic threats leading to injury.
- Life imprisonment: second-degree murder, kidnapping for ransom, forcible rape.
- Death penalty: murder with aggravating circumstances.
How Is an Aggravated Felony Different?
An aggravated felony is a special category of serious crimes that carry extremely harsh consequences.
Some examples of aggravated felonies include counterfeiting, child pornography, burglary, bribery of witnesses, alien smuggling, and many more. There’s a category of aggravated felonies referred to as crimes of violence that can cover a wide range of state-level offenses. Many controlled substance or drug offenses are classified as aggravated felonies too.
Also, treason, certain kinds of theft convictions, tax evasion, rape, obstruction of justice, murder, money laundering, forgery, and firearm offenses can be put in the category of aggravated felonies.
How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Record in Georgia?
As a felony defense attorney in Union City, we help clients clear up their criminal records. From spending time with your kids to finding work, having a criminal record can affect nearly all aspects of your life. When you get a felony conviction, fines, probation, and jail time are just the start of a lifetime of consequences.
Because of this, many individuals who get convicted in Union City find themselves needing to check if their criminal record is eligible for expungement.
Unfortunately, the state of Georgia does not allow people to expunge felony convictions from their criminal records. While a change in the law includes the option to request for a “record restriction,” in Georgia, there is no option to have your felony conviction completely expunged.
Georgia only allows persons with felony convictions in their criminal record to restrict their official criminal history from public view. The criminal history is however still available to law enforcement authorities.
In Georgia, you can have your criminal record restricted using one of two ways, either by petition or automatically. If you were arrested, but your case never went for prosecution, then the record will automatically be restricted after a specific time period.
The length of this period varies depending on the seriousness of the crime for which you were arrested.
- Felonies: 4 years
- Sex-related and serious violent crimes: 7 years
Contact a Union City Felony Defense Attorney Today!
Felony criminal charges are very serious. Depending on the offense, you could spend over a year or even decades in prison. Hiring an experienced felony defense attorney who can help you come up with a strong and solid defense is essential. A good attorney can greatly boost your chances of beating the charges or getting a lesser sentence.
If you represent yourself, you are likely to lose the case and receive a harsh sentence. A court-appointed public defender won’t have the same time and resources to devote to your case as a private attorney. Don’t risk your freedom and your future!
The Law Offices of Gilbert Sperling, III, P.C handles all types of felony charges in Union City, GA. Attorney Gil is experienced, passionate, and ready to fight for your rights. He understands the criminal laws in Georgia and is familiar with how the courts and prosecutors do things.
With that said, if you are facing a felony charge of any sort in Union City, GA, Attorney Gil from the Law Offices of Gilbert Sperling, III, P.C is always here to help. Call 404-418-7816 to schedule a free consultation regarding your case.
