A shoplifting offense will result in a misdemeanor conviction in the state of Georgia where the value of the shoplifted property is $300 or less.
In Georgia, theft by deception occurs when you take someone else’s property through deceptive means, with the purpose of intentionally depriving that person of his or her own property. Likewise, if you knowingly accept payment for services that won’t be rendered, you can be charged with theft by deception. The same goes for selling property with liens to someone without disclosing the property claims.If you are charged with theft by deception, you will face up to 15 years in prison. You may also lose your civil rights, including the right to vote and the right to possess a firearm. In addition, a felony conviction stays on your record and can make it very difficult to get or keep a job.
If you have been charged with theft by deception, it is important to work with a lawyer who can protect your interests and assert your rights. We fight for the rights of individuals charged with theft and other criminal offenses and are prepared to help you, too.
Even if you have done nothing wrong, you need an experienced and competent defense attorney who knows Georgia’s theft laws.
In the state of Georgia, stalking is a serious crime. What appears to be harmless behavior can deprive you of your freedom even if the alleged victim is a person you love or care for.
I didn’t have a real weapon, just a toy: Even if you used a toy gun, you could be guilty of armed robbery. The Court looks at whether it was a believable replica and if it was, you will still be charged with armed robbery.
I didn’t take anything; I just wanted to scare them: If you did not take anything from the victim but instead just used a weapon to scare someone, then you will not guilty of robbery. However, you could still be guilty of assault or battery.
In 2006, the Court found a defendant guilty of armed robbery where he threatened the victim with a knife and took money from him. The defendant threatened the man with a knife and then threw the knife on the bed. While the defendant admitted holding a knife in his hand, he argued that since he never harmed the victim, he was not guilty of robbery. The Court found that the defendant’s threats and demands were sufficient to establish the element of intimidation and that he did not have to actually harm the victim to be guilty. By testifying to the threats and holding a knife over him, the victim satisfied the requirements, and the defendant was convicted.
Georgia Courts have gone back and forth through the years as to what constitutes an offensive weapon as well as if replica or toys can be considered offensive weapons. After years of debating, it has been established that an offensive weapon includes not only weapons which are offensive per se, but also embraces other instrumentalities not normally considered to be offensive in and of themselves but which may be found by a jury likely to produce death or great bodily injury depending on the manner and means of their use. 
If you or a loved one has been charged with Armed Robbery in Georgia, we can help. While robbery is primarily taking the property of another from that person; armed robbery means that you used a weapon during the taking. Armed Robbery is considered a serious violent felony in Georgia. The offense of robbery by intimidation is a lesser-included offense of the crime of armed robbery.