I'm charged with criminal damage 2nd dergee, both my girl friend and I. she damage more of my things than I did. She called the police they wittness the damage so I'm thinking my plea will be guilty. Do I really need an attorney? The one I hired rip me off so now on my court date I'm representing myself. Georgia is hard on domestic violence cases this is first time. How can I protect myself without an attorney

The best way, and only way is hire yourself an attorney. Or get whatever they are willing to toss your way. Isn't an Attorney REQUIRED in cases like this... its not traffic court. A Really good lawyer will minimize what your punishment ends up being. A really bad one, won't.

THere is an old saying I really hope you take to heart and reconsider before operating "pro se".

"A man that acts as his own attorney, Has a fool for a client"

Should I plea guilty? To a criminal damage 2nd I did bust her windshield after she broke my cell throw a lamp in the wall and broke my windshield in my truck we both got locked up after she called the cops

Admin note: Post moved from forum help to Law.

Take at least a public defender. You do not want a domestic violence conviction, it can stop you from owning a gun, from having a lot of jobs and more, Even at a misdemeanor level, it is a very serous charge, ( esp in Georgia)

And "she broke more than you" is not a defense, it is something you do not want to say in court.

You want to get this plead down to a charge without domestic violence in it,

Hello m:

I find it hard to plead guilty to anything...

excon

Great advice thanks. My case was waive today so I can get a better attorney, the one I had took my money.

I make too much money for a public defender. I'm getting an attorney.

Good move... get the attorney, talk with him and see if they can work out a good plea bargain for you... its far better than just pleading guilty... and more certain than letting the judge or jury decide when they have lots of evidence.

Here is my advice, first shut up... (meant in the most helpful of ways)!

Never, ever, say your guilty... of anything... for any reason... until your lawyer tells you its OK to do so..

If it was mutual, and she doesn't testify against you and you don't testify against her then the prosecution, has to prove you were the one who broke stuff... hard to do without witnesses. The police saw broken stuff, not who broke it, right?

I don't know how your other lawyer; "rip you off" but there are remedies for that kind of thing...

She didn't show up for my trial date an the drop my case to nolle prosequi but the prosecution is going on with hers, She stolen a lot of my property and personal things after falsified a TPO that had me kick out of my own home , I'm thinking about pressing on helping the DA teach her a lesson