Legal Question in Criminal Law in Georgia

first time battery charge

My son is 17 yrs old and was in an altercation with another student at his school. My son punched the other boy in the face and was slapped with a 5000 dollar battery charge (not by the boy or his parents, but by the authorities) and was aressted and taken to the local detention center. I posted a property bond and now he has a court date (state court). My questions are 1)Do we need a lawyer when going to court? 2)Since this is his first offense, I don't know what else I'm supposed to be doing before the court date, is there anything I need to be doing/or he needs to be doing? 3)If I do need a lawyer and can't afford one, will the courts appoint one and whose income will they go by, mine and his fathers or his (since they charged him as an adult)? Please help.


Asked on 1/20/06, 5:28 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Billy Tomlinson Tomlinson & Associates, LLC

Re: first time battery charge

The bond amount you posted sounds like a felony charge. However, you state that he is in "state" court which would mean it is a misd. Either way, you need an attorney. If he is charged as an adult then his income would be the determining factor. Call the courthouse and ask how you apply for a public defender.

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Answered on 1/20/06, 5:49 pm


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