Burglary charges are serious felony offenses in Georgia. If convicted, you may face extensive prison time, hefty fines, and a stain on your criminal history. Even long after completing your sentence, you might still feel the effects of a burglary conviction: A criminal record can make it difficult to obtain a job, education, or a housing loan.
When you have been accused of committing a burglary, you need a seasoned defense attorney by your side. The earliest intervention by a dedicated Palmetto burglary lawyer could make all the difference in the outcome of your case. Call J. Ryan Brown Law today to discover your legal options.
Under Georgia law, a burglary happens when someone unlawfully enters another person’s property with the intent to commit a felony or a theft. The degree of burglary depends on whether someone is accused of entering someone else’s dwelling. Burglary can involve the intent to commit many different types of crimes, from theft of money or property to violent felonies such as assault, battery, and rape.
Even if the planned crime did not occur, the person who unlawfully entered the home could still face burglary charges. For example, if someone entered a home intending to steal jewelry but was stopped by the homeowner before taking it, the intruder could still face burglary charges—even though they technically did not steal anything. Similarly, a person who unlawfully enters their former domestic partner’s home intending to injure them could face burglary charges even if the planned assault did not occur.
Because Georgia law treats burglary as a felony offense, working with a Palmetto attorney who can mount an aggressive defense is critical.
A person commits burglary in the first degree when they enter a dwelling without authority, intending to commit a felony or a theft. For example, burglary in the first degree can occur when someone enters a home intending to steal money from inside the home.
A person commits burglary in the second degree when they enter some other type of structure, such as a barn or vacant building, with the intention of stealing something or committing some other felony inside.
For example, if someone entered a vacant storage barn and stole copper pipes out of the building, they would be accused of burglary in the second degree.
Our Palmetto burglary attorney can perform a detailed and thorough investigation of your case to build the most effective defense possible. We can comb through every piece of evidence and examine the police procedures looking for inconsistencies and weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. Our attorney can dispute the scientific evidence by casting doubt on the accuracy of any forensic testing. We can also challenge witness identification and other evidence to bring a degree of reasonable doubt into the jurors’ minds.
Additionally, our attorney can try to get the court to exclude evidence obtained through improper police procedures such as inadmissible search and seizure, improper arrests, or breaks in the evidentiary chain of custody.
Our Palmetto burglary attorney will fight tirelessly to obtain a dismissal of the charges against you before the case comes to trial. Should the case proceed to trial, we will try to negotiate a plea agreement for lesser charges. For example, our attorney can work to produce evidence showing that you had no intention of committing a crime when you entered the property. This could change the nature of the crime from a felony burglary to a misdemeanor criminal trespass.
When you are under investigation for burglary, you should contact a skilled Palmetto burglary lawyer before speaking with the police. A diligent defense attorney from our firm can fight hard to defend your freedoms and protect your reputation.
Reach out to J. Ryan Brown Law today to schedule your confidential consultation with a committed legal advocate.
J. Ryan Brown Law, LLC
J. Ryan Brown Law, LLC
