(770) 650-7200 jlee@htlweb.com
Lead Paralegal: Maria Centeno (770) 650-7200 mcenteno@htlweb.com
When facing a criminal prosecution, it is important to have a lawyer with the experience and reputation to work out the resolution to the case that is in your best interest or, when necessary, take your case to trial and give you every opportunity to prevail. Hernan Taylor & Lee has the experience and expertise that you need to win your case. Our attorneys are in court nearly every day fighting for the rights of defendants across the State of Georgia.
Some are wrongly accused and need a lawyer to challenge the prosecution and fight back against the improper charges. For others, they need a lawyer to help them get back on track with their lives and convince the State that the charges against them do not correctly portray who they really are. In such cases, our lawyers work as negotiators trying to minimize punishment while helping to ensure that our clients do not find themselves in a similar situation in the future.
Every case is different and unique; there are times when cases should be taken to a jury or bench trial and other times when the case should be resolved by negotiating with the prosecutor. We work tirelessly to ensure that whether it is a negotiation or a trial, our client receives the best result possible.
The criminal process can be long and difficult and it is extremely important that you obtain competent counsel, in order to satisfactorily resolve your case. Hernan Taylor & Lee can handle any type of criminal case in any city, state or federal court in the State of Georgia, including felonies, misdemenors, probation violation hearings, administrative cases and traffic related cases. Our attorneys have significant experience handling complex, serious charges such as drug trafficking, drug possession, assault, robbery, battery, family violence offenses and more.
We can help you at each stage of the criminal process, such as:
Pre-Arrest Investigations
If you or a loved one are suspected of commiting a crime, often a detective or other police officer will contact you during the preliminary investigation. The information gathered during this investigation can, and will, be used against you if you are ultimately arrested. Many of our clients prefer to seek our guidance during the investigation to ensure that the police operate within the confines of their authority and the law and to protect the rights of our clients. Our attorneys and staff work tirelessly to help our client avoid arrest and attempt to resolve the underlying issues of the case.
Bond Hearing/Preliminary Hearing
If you or a loved one is arrested, within 72 hours of the arrest you must be brought before a judge to determine if there is a basis for the charges against you, and to set a bond in cases where one is available. A bond is an amount that a defendant must pay in order to be released from jail pending trial. In the event that the defendant misses any court appearances, the bond may be forfeited to the state. If the defendant complies with his or her obligations, the bond will be returned (unless a bond company is used in which case the defendant only pays a non-refundable fee to the bond company).
While this may seem like an unimportant phase of the process, it is to your advantage to obtain counsel prior to the bond hearing because every appearance in court is an opportunity to resolve your case in your favor! It is much more difficult for an attorney to go back to a judge and seek a reduction in bond or an additional preliminary hearing if they are retained after the initial hearing. It is important to note that most cases do proceed past the initial hearing, and many defendants are unrepresented at this stage. Just remember that everything that you say, especially in court, can and will be used against you at trial.
Arraignment/Indictment
The next stage of the criminal process is the arraignment. During the arraignment, a defendant comes to court and pleads either guilty or not guilty. This is the opportunity for the State to formally present a defendant with the charges against him or her. This is an important part of the criminal process because it is where you meet the judge who will be trying your case, as well as the attorney for the government (the prosecutor). It is also at this point that defendants often seek the appointment of a public defender (paid for by the State) if they cannot afford an attorney. While there are talented and effective public defenders out there, the defendant has no control over who is appointed to represent him or her and, unfortunately, often these defendants get exactly what they paid for. Accordingly, even if you do not chose Hernan Taylor & Lee, we strongly recommend that you hire your own attorney to protect your interests in court.
Pre-Trial Conferences/Plea Agreements
After the arraignment, the defense attorney and prosecutor will often discuss the case during a later court appearance called a pre-trial conference. Sometimes this will occur during the arraignment; however, most prosecutors are simply too busy during arraignment days to give any attention to the negotiation of a particular case. During the pre-trial conference, which can occur in court, in the prosecutor’s office or by telephone, attorneys from Hernan Taylor & Lee strongly advocate for their client’s interests by showing proseuctors the areas of the case against our clients that are weak and exposing the reasons why we believe our clients would be acquitted (found innocent) at trial. The pre-trial conference also gives our attorneys an opportunity to see how strong the State’s case is against our client to determine whether it is in our client’s best interest to proceed to trial or work out a plea agreement. It is often at this stage that the attorneys of Hernan Taylor & Lee have had great success in obtaining the dismissal or significant reduction of charges against our clients.
Plea Agreements
Usually, our clients will plead not guilty at the arraignment stage of a case. There are times when the evidence in a case is so strong that a defendant must consider accepting a plea agreement which sets forth the punishment for the offense. Attorneys from Hernan Taylor & Lee are experienced and skilled at negotiating plea agreements in the best interest of our clients. When accepting a plea agreement, a defendant is giving up certain important rights in exchange for what is often a lighter punishment or reduction in the charge(s) against them. Those rights include the right to a trial by jury, the right to force the State to produce evidence against the defendant, the right to face your accuser and more. The attorneys of Hernan Taylor & Lee focus on ensuring that our clients understands their options and make the decision that is in their best interest.
Trial
In the event that a case cannot be worked out at an earlier stage, Hernan Taylor & Lee will take your case to trial. We have had success at obtaining non-guilty verdicts for our clients from minor traffic related offenses to serious felony cases such as drug trafficking charges. Many attorneys are not willing to take a case to trial. Not Hernan Taylor & Lee. We will do every thing we can to be zealous advocates for you, and will fight for you at every stage of your case. If it appears that it is in your best interest to proceed to trial, we will be at your side. Our attorneys are skilled trial attorneys capable of maximizing your chance for victory at trial.
Appeal
Hernan Taylor & Lee is also are able to assist defendants in making appeals after a unfavorable result in either the state or federal courts.
Most of our clients are hard working, honest individuals who are either falsely accused or made some sort of error in judgment or mistake and seek guidance and support in working through the process and making amends.
If you, or someone you know, has been arrested or is under criminal investigation, call Hernan Taylor & Lee to schedule a free consultation with an attorney to learn more about the process that you or your colleague faces and the ways that Hernan Taylor & Lee can help. We are happy to visit you or your loved one in jail, and clients and prospective clients are welcome to call our office collect.
We look forward to having the opportunity to serve you. At Hernan Taylor & Lee, we are always at your side!
For more information about criminal defense issues, please check out the HTL Blog and, particularly, the Criminal Defense category.
