State Bar of Georgia Public Programs

For over 38 years, Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates, an Atlanta-based law firm, has been assisting clients with postconviction representation and relief in Georgia. Michael Kennedy, an attorney at Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates, has been a State Bar of Georgia member since 1980. The State Bar of Georgia is the regulatory agency for lawyers in Georgia. The organization aims to serve the public, enhance justice administration and advance the science of law among its members. The State Bar of Georgia offers various programs to its members and the public to increase knowledge about areas of law and foster the exchange of ideas. The public programs that the organization offers include BASICS (Bar Association Support to Improve Correctional Services), which aims to rehabilitate offenders; CAP (Client Assistance Program), which provides assistance and resources to the public and bar members; and Cornerstones of Freedom Program designed to educate the public about the law and justice system. It also offers the Law-Related Education (LRE) Program to help K-12 teachers integrate legal education into their curricula. The State Bar of Georgia also offers a range of member programs, including the Committee to Promote Inclusion in the Profession program and the Georgia Diversity Program, which promote diversity and inclusion among attorneys. It also provides Continuing Legal Education (CLE) and the Transition Into Law Practice Program (TILPP), designed to assist experienced and beginning lawyers. Additionally, the organization’s Law Practice Management Program supports Georgia attorneys and staff in their daily tasks, while the Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) helps attorneys facing life challenges.

Three Categories of Inmates Ineligible for Parole in Georgia

An attorney who leads a team of associates in Atlanta, Georgia, Michael Kennedy McIntyre has headed his firm since 1985. Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates handles postconviction representation including representation before the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. Most Georgia inmates have the legal right of parole consideration unless they fall into one or more of the three following categories. First and foremost, any inmate serving a life sentence without parole cannot file for parole consideration. Second, any inmate serving a non-life sentence for a serious felony committed after December 31, 1994, is ineligible for parole due to the Georgia General Assembly passage of State Bill 441. Felony crimes covered by this bill include armed robbery, kidnapping, and aggravated sexual battery. Third, the Georgia court system cannot grant parole to inmates who have received more than three felony convictions under a recidivist sentence. Although individuals who are unencumbered by the above restrictions are automatically eligible for parole consideration, the Georgia Parole Board must approve any form of clemency for all state inmates.

Petition for Removal from the Georgia Sex Offender Registry Process

Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates deals exclusively in post-conviction representation. One of the services Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates offers clients is representation for removal from the Georgia Sex Offender Registry. Before the application for removal from the sex offender registry, the individual must confirm eligibility based on several factors. The factors include completion of required incarceration, parole, probation, and supervision as part of the sentence. If completed, other variables to be removed from the registry include completion of 10 years since the sentence and a Level 1 (low) risk assessment designation by the Sex Offender Registration and Review Board (SORRB). Six other additional criteria mainly cover using deadly weapons, physical restraint, physical harm, and transporting the victim during the offense. If eligible, the individual files a petition for release in the county’s Superior Court at the location of conviction or residence, if from out of state. Copies of the petition should be sent to the sheriff and district attorney of both counties. If the SORRB has not classified the offender, as happens if there was no recent conviction, the court orders a risk assessment and classification within 90 days. If the classification is above the level I, the individual can appeal. If at Level I or 10 years have been served, the individual is eligible to request removal from the registry. The removal case proceeds to a hearing for determination.

Georgia’s Sexual Assault Laws

Michael McIntyre is an attorney and lead counsel with Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates. Leading Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates since 1985, Michael McIntyre endeavors to keep abreast of the latest changes in Georgia law, including sex offense laws.

Sexual assault laws in Georgia differ from from many other states in the US. Below are three sexual assault laws worth noting in Georgia.

Sexual battery
Sexual battery happens when an individual purposefully makes physical contact with another person’s intimate parts without their consent. Considered a high-order misdemeanor, sexual battery carries a jail term of up to 12 months and a $5,000 fine in Georgia. However, aggravated sexual battery can lead to a sentence of 25 years to life imprisonment.

Romeo and Juliet sexual battery laws
Under sexual battery laws in Georgia, even young lovers can be punished within the confines of “Romeo and Juliet” laws. The laws apply if the victim falls within the 14-16 year-old bracket and the accused is 18 years old.

Improper sexual contact laws
Sexual relations involving a person of trust over another or in a position of authority are punishable under Georgia law. This includes a person with disciplinary or supervisory authority over someone.