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Hall County Courthouse - 1st Floor
The Hall County Solicitor's Office is responsible for the prosecution of all State misdemeanor crimes in the State Court of Hall County and all County ordinance violations where a jury trial demand is filed.
Misdemeanor crimes consist of any crime punishable by a maximum of one year in jail or less. The Solicitor's Office reviewed and prosecuted more than 9,000 misdemeanor cases in 2008 and 15,400 Traffic Bureau tickets. Misdemeanors include crimes against persons, for example; domestic violence, battery, simple battery, simple assault, and stalking. Misdemeanors may also include property crimes, for example; criminal trespass, criminal damage to property (less than $500), theft by taking (less than $500) and theft by shoplifting (less than $300). Traffic violations occurring in the county and those bound over from Municipal Courts for jury trials may also be prosecuted in State Court, including, but not limited to; driving under the influence, reckless driving, fleeing and attempting to elude, hit and run, and any other moving, tag, or license violations.
In addition, the Solicitor's Office operates a State certified Crime Victim Assistance Program (VAP). Our VAP goals are to provide the highest quality services to crime victims, ensuring that they are informed of their rights under the Crime Victim's Bill of Rights, advising victims of resources available for other assistance, and assisting with victim compensation for injuries and expenses caused as the result of a crime. Our VAP program also serves as a networking resource for victims of crime to other agencies in the Hall County Community that can assist with their recovery.
The Hall County Solicitor-General serves on the DUI Court Team, personally. The Hall County DUI Court is one of the founding DUI Courts in the state, and serves a a model to new courts around the state of Georgia and the country. The DUI Court has a mission is to make offenders accountable for their actions, bringing about a behavioral change that reduces DUI recidivism and the abuse of alcohol and other drugs while raising the re-licensure rate for participants that complete the program; to protect the public, to treat the victims of DUI offenders in a fair, just way; and to educate the public as to the benefits of DUI courts for the communities that they serve.
Incarceration has not proven an effective, long-term deterrent for repeat offenders. The DUI Court program creates an ability to utilize Judicial Review in regards to treatment allows for a higher degree of follow-through and accountability for the participants in this program. This will lead to a higher level of treatment success, an in increase in appropriate relicensing of eligible offenders, and most importantly increased public safety.
In addition to regular case load duties, one assistant solicitor is assigned to assist in HELP Court (Health Empowerment Linkage and Possibilities). HELP Court is a program that provides a linkage between defendants with mental health issues and resources in the community (counseling, physicians, therapy and substance abuse treatment). The community based services, in conjunction with a HELP Court case manager, assist the defendant in treating and coping with his/her mental illness in a positive fashion so as to be able to reside in a healthy, stable environment, maintain a job if able to work, and reduce the likelihood of future criminal activity. The program also enables lower-risk mentally ill defendants (who are often indigent) to be released from jail on a small or O/R bond while in the HELP Court program, thus reducing taxpayer expense in keeping these individuals in jail pretrial. HELP Court handles misdemeanors and felonies; however, the program does not accept participants charged with sexual offenses or serious violent crimes. In recognition of the graduates' progress in the program, the Solicitor's office often reduced or dismissed some criminal charges, or, alternatively, recommended a less severe sentence in exchange for a guilty plea to the crime charged. Thus far, the recidivism rate among HELP Court graduates is extremely low, at 11%.
Stephanie Woodard
Solicitor General
 770-531-7012
 Email
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225 Green St., SE
Gainesville, GA 30501-3717
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