Criminal Defense

Our lawyers are among the best criminal defense attorneys in the United States. Page Pate and Jess Johnson have been recognized for many years as “Super Lawyers” in criminal defense, in the Top 100 Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers, and Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite. More importantly, our firm has won dozens of serious criminal trials in federal courts across the country. We have also kept clients from being charged in international criminal investigations in Spain, England, Ireland and the Bahamas.

In addition to our impressive record of “not guilty” verdicts in criminal trials, our firm has also obtained pretrial dismissals and very favorable plea deals in many other criminal cases without the need for a trial. In fact, we are not aware of any criminal defense law firm with more recent successful results in serious criminal cases.

Our experience:

• Federal Criminal Defense
• Georgia Criminal Defense
• International Criminal Cases
• Criminal Appeals

Our results in criminal cases:

FEDERAL DRUG CONSPIRACY – NOT GUILTY
Won a federal criminal jury trial for a client charged with being in a large-scale drug conspiracy. The client was facing mandatory life in prison if convicted. The jury found him “not guilty” on all counts, despite wiretap evidence and the testimony of alleged co-conspirators.
(U.S. v. V.W.)

FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE – DISMISSED
Convinced federal prosecutors to dismiss a child pornography case a week before the trial was scheduled to begin. Our client was facing a minimum of 10 years in prison.
(U.S. v. M.K.)

AGGRAVATED CHILD MOLESTATION – NOT GUILTY
Won a criminal jury trial for a client falsely accused of multiple aggravated child molestation charges in Gainesville, Georgia. The client was facing 25 years to life in prison if convicted. He was acquitted on all 6 counts.
(State v. A.C.)

DRUG CHARGES AGAINST DOCTOR – NOT GUILTY
Won a criminal jury trial for a doctor charged in Northeast Georgia with the unlawful distribution of controlled substances. He was facing up to 100 years in prison if convicted.
(State v. P.R.)

FEDERAL DRUG CONSPIRACY – NOT GUILTY
Won a federal jury trial for a pilot falsely charged with importing several hundred kilos of cocaine into the U.S. from Mexico. Our client was facing life in prison if convicted.
(U.S. v. D.F.)

ARMED ROBBERY AND KIDNAPPING – NOT GUILTY
Won a criminal jury trial for a client charged with armed robbery and kidnapping in Marietta (Cobb County), Georgia. The judge granted our motion and dismissed all charges after we questioned the state’s key witnesses. Our client was facing life in prison.
(State v. D.P.)

FEDERAL GUN CHARGES – NOT GUILTY
Won a federal criminal jury trial in Atlanta, Georgia for a client indicted for possessing illegal firearms. He was facing up to 10 years in federal prison.
(U.S. v. M.H.)

FEDERAL DRUG CONSPIRACY – DISMISSED
Convinced federal prosecutors to dismiss a federal drug case against our client in Macon, Georgia. We argued that the search of our client was unlawful and the government dismissed all charges. Our client would have been sentenced up to 30 years if convicted.
(U.S. v. G.D.)

FEDERAL DRUG CHARGES – DISMISSED
Successfully resolved a federal drug case in Atlanta when we helped convince prosecutors to dismiss an indictment against our client after he was arrested, but prior to the trial. The client was facing up to 20 years in prison.
(U.S. v. H.W.)

FEDERAL FRAUD CASE – DISMISSED
Convinced the federal government to dismiss a multi-million dollar fraud case against our clients in Atlanta a week before trial. Our clients could have been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
(U.S. v. V.R.)

AGGRAVATED CHILD MOLESTATION – CONVICTION REVERSED
Won a new trial for a client who had been convicted of rape, child molestation and related charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison after the client’s prior lawyer had been ineffective in representing him at the first trial.
(State v. J.S.D)

MALICE MURDER CHARGES – DISMISSED
Resolved a murder case in Athens, Georgia when the district attorney dismissed the charges against our client before trial. Our client was facing life in prison, but he was released from prison without ever having to go to trial.
(State v. J.H.)

A recent review: