Georgia Law Blog

On February 23, 2010, Jack Clay introduced former Congressman Bob Barr at the West Metro Trial Lawyers Association luncheon in Douglasville, Georgia. Mr. Barr spoke about political issues in Georgia and in Washington, D.C. The meeting was well attended by local attorneys and judges. Some of the photographs pictured below were taken at the luncheon.

Bob Barr was the 2008 Libertarian Party candidate for President of the United States. He served in the United States Congress representing the Seventh District of Georgia for many years. He was also appointed United States Attorney to the Northern District of Georgia in the 1980s by then President Ronald Reagan. After having lunch with Mr. Clay and others, Bob Barr spoke about his concerns about the current economic and political climate. We thank Congressman Bob Barr for taking time out of his very busy schedule to come to speak to the legal community of Douglas County.

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Posted In: Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info.

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On Friday, January 29, 2010, Douglasville attorney Jack Clay spoke and introduced Justice David Nahmias to a crowd of fellow lawyers and local judges. Jack Clay was named as the first Chairman of the West Metro Trial Lawyers Association (WMTLA) in June of 2009. Thus far, this group of local lawyers dedicated to preserving the civil justice system for Georgians has hosted an evening party attended by local judges and elected officials. The WMTLA also hosted lunch featuring David Poythress, candidate for Georgia Governor, as a guest speaker. In the fall of 2009, the group hosted a bicycle helmet give-away booth at the Paulding County Public Service Appreciation Day.

We are grateful that Justice Nahmias came to speak to our group about his perspective as a recent appointee to the Georgia Supreme Court. Justice Nahmias graduated from Harvard Law School at the top of his class and served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review with President Barack Obama. After law school, he served as judicial clerk for Justice Scalia of the United Supreme Court. He has held many roles in the federal justice system working in the fight against terrorism. Prior to being appointed Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court by Governor Sonny Perdue, he served as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

Justice Nahmias is a cordial, engaging, and a articulate speaker. He is also running for election this year. We are grateful that he chose to come and speak to our group.

- Jack Clay is a Douglasville lawyer specializing in personal injury, wrongful death, and workers' compensation cases. Located conveniently located across the street from the Douglas County Courthouse, our law office handles cases for seriously injured clients throughout Georgia. We welcome referrals from fellow attorneys, clients, and the medical community.

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Posted In: Community Service , Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info. , Our Law Firm Serving Atlanta & All of Georgia

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Last Friday night, despite the rainy and chilly weather, my office set-up our booth at the annual downtown Douglasville, Georgia chili cook off. We had decided our "theme" would be fall-related, and we included a few scarecrows, leaf arrangements, and even Christmas lights to make our booth stand out. We were pleased with the turnout and enjoyed being part of the Douglas County tradition. Below, find photos from the event. We were graciously provided with a hand-carved pumpkin to display our firm name and we named our chili "Break a Leg Chili" to remind the community of the types of cases we handle.

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Posted In: Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info. , Our Law Firm Serving Atlanta & All of Georgia

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It is that time of year again when everyone is preparing for Halloween festivities. This year, however, may prove to be a bit more challenging due to the recent flooding and the roads that remain closed or otherwise damaged in Douglasville, Hiram, Carrollton, and other surrounding cities. This combined with the increase in roadway construction in recent months should alert anyone preparing for late nights to the dangers that may occur.

An updated list of the roads that have remained closed in Douglas County, Georgia can be found on the Celebrate Douglas County website. Residents should be working to prepare alternate routes if you know that your usual way is blocked or unsafe to use. Statistically, the possibilities of speeding, reckless driving, improper driving procedures, and other dangers increase when the roads have been affected. Those who plan to travel this upcoming weekend or who plan to walk main roads to and from neighborhoods, for example, should be cautious and courteous of each other to avoid accidents or injuries.

If you or someone you know have been hurt in an automobile accident, hit-and-run accident, truck wreck, or have been otherwise injured, contact my personal injury and workers' compensation law firm for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Car Accidents , Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info.

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This year, my office has decided to participate in the annual chili cook-off held in O'Neal Plaza in downtown Douglasville. The event is hosted by the Cultural Arts Council.

The date for the cook-off has been moved due to unexpected weather changes. The cook-off will now be from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Friday, October 30, 2009. We hope to see many Douglas County residents that evening!

We will have marketing materials available at our booth. As you know, my office handles personal injury and workers' compensation cases in the West Georgia area. If you or someone you know has been injured in a wreck or hurt on the job, call my office, located directly across the street from the Douglas County Courthouse, for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info. , Our Law Firm Serving Atlanta & All of Georgia

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As some of you may recall, I was recently named Chairman of the West Metro Trial Lawyers Association, the local Georgia Trial Lawyers Association group covering Douglas & Paulding Counties. On Saturday, October 10 we hosted a booth at the first annual Public Safety Appreciation Day in Paulding County, Georgia. The event included booths set-up by local community organizations and allowed West Georgia residents to meet local leaders in Public Safety. The GTLA raffled off 25 bicycle helmets to children. The event was a great success and we hope to be a part of it in the coming years. Below, you will find pictures that I took throughout the day.

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Posted In: Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info.

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Last Friday, a Douglasville man was killed in a car accident on I-20 near Lee Road when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a median, according to the Georgia State Patrol. This is only one of the many traffic-related incidents that occurred over the holiday weekend in the Douglas County and Carroll County areas.

From 6:00pm on Thursday until midnight on Sunday, troopers at the Villa Rica post of the Georgia State Patrol investigated 35 vehicle wrecks including the fatal Friday crash, wrote 240 warnings to drivers for violating traffic laws, and issued 223 citations for speeding and driving under the influence. In fact, eight people were arrested and charged with a DUI, an offense that is a priority at the Villa Rica post. The post is ranked as the second highest in the state for the number of DUI arrests according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Douglas County and Carroll County drivers were warned last week that local law enforcement was preparing to have a strong presence on the roadways during the Fourth of July weekend. Troopers held several road checks and patrolled the area in effort to keep the roads safe. However, if you or a loved one was injured in an automobile accident, please contact my Douglasville law office for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Car Accidents , Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info.

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Members of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association recently met at Sam and Roscos in Douglasville, Georgia for a kick-off event for the new West Metro TLA. I am happy to say that I have agreed to be the first Chairman of this group which covers the Douglas County and Paulding County areas. The event was sponsored by Ringler Associates and The Injury Specialists. Speakers included the President of GTLA Chris Clark, Micah Gravley who is the Legislative & Grassroots Outreach Coordinator, and myself. We are pictured below.

Also present were State Representatives Tim Bearden, Bill Hembree and Roger Bruce. From the judiciary, we were pleased to have several elected officials join us, including Douglas County Superior Court Judge William H. “Beau” McClain, Douglas County State Court Judge William O'Neal Dettmering, Jr., Douglas County District Attorney David McDade, and Douglas County Solicitor-General Brian Fortner.

I want to thank my friends and coleagues for making this a successful event. We hope to have more events in the future.

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Posted In: Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info.

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The West Metro Trial Lawyers Association, a new group within the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, will have its kick-off reception and party this Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00. The group will encompass the legal communities of Douglas County and Paulding County.

If you are a fellow attorney or a judge interested in coming to the event, please contact our office. We will provide more details and put you down on our RSVP list.

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Posted In: Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info.

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Yesterday, I had to file a new car accident injury case at the Paulding County Courthouse. I was fortunate enough to visit the new courthouse the very first day that it opened. I took an extra 15 minutes to check out the new courthouse. It is quite a sight. I visited the court rooms as well as the administrative building which is adjacent to the courthouse. The new courthouse is located on Highway 278 west of Chattahoochee Technical College. I suspect that I will be spending a lot of time at the Paulding County Courthouse in the upcoming years as I handle many personal injury claims in Paulding County, Georgia. It is also interesting to note that Paulding County has been one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. The population now is just over 130,000 people. Below, see some pictures I took during my visit.

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Posted In: Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info.

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Georgia Highlands College, a two-year college currently located in Rome, Georgia, is scheduled to open a campus in Douglasville. Although the location has not been announced, it is estimated that 1500 students will attend the school which may open up as soon as August of 2009. This is exciting news for those of us who live and work in Douglasville, especially with the current economic troubles faced by residents in our area. It is also a blessing because many out of work people are going back to school to further their education in order to have the necessary skills to be ready when the job market picks up again. It is also interesting to note that a study commissioned years ago by the University System of Georgia identified Douglas County, GA as an underserved area for secondary education. Currently, the population of Douglas County, GA is approximately 130,000.

Jack Clay handles work comp cases and serious injury cases in Douglasville, GA. Our law firm offers free, no-obligation consultations for those who have been hurt on the job or in a car accident or truck wreck.

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The Douglas County Sentinel is reporting that a fire and explosion at a Douglasville plant burned two. This incident was originally reported as by CBS News in Atlanta, GA. The fire reportedly happened at 11:20 a.m. at the old Young Refining facility near Highway 78 in Douglasville, GA. Three workers reportedly suffered burns and two were taken to area hospitals. ARTC has been in business reportedly since 2005. They make asphalt products for paving roads and roofing applications.

Our law firm represents injured workers throughout Douglasville, Atlanta, and Georgia. If you or a loved one has been injured in a work accident, we are here to help. Please call us anytime for a free and confidential consultation.

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The public is invited to a free family Bar-B-Que at former Douglas County Sheriff Tommy Waldrop's farm located at the corner of Highway 78 and Post Road in Winston, GA. The event is from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. This event is being held in support of Beau McClain who is running for Douglas County Superior Court Judge on November 4, 2008.

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Many of my clients in Douglasville ask me where the courthouse is for workers' compensation cases. I warn them that it is not so simple of an answer. Many just assume that because my office is located directly across the street from the Douglas County Courthouse that the State Board of Workers' Compensation hears cases at our courthouse. The answer may be surprising.

Georgia law dictates that the county in which a worker suffers an on the job injury determines what location the case will be heard. For example, if a workers' comp. client is injured in Douglas County, GA, their case will be heard at the State Board of Workers' Compensation in Atlanta. If this is the case, any judge that works in Atlanta may be assigned to hear the case in a hearing. However, if a client suffers a work injury in Paulding County, the case will be heard in Rome, GA and will be assigned to the only Administrative Law Judge covering that area of the State of Georgia. On the other hand, if somebody suffers a Carroll County workers' compensation injury, their case will be heard at the Carroll County Courthouse by the Administrative Law Judge who handles cases in Carroll County, GA.

The general rule of thumb is that the further an injured worker is away from Atlanta when he or she gets injured, the more likely extensive travel will be necessary to get to the courthouse in which the workers' comp. case will be heard.

For those lawyers out there who read my articles, the legal authority for where a hearing is held is O.C.G.A. 34-9-102((b) which states, in pertinent part, that, "...the hearing shall be held in the county where the injury or death occurred or in any contiguous county or in any count within 50 miles of the court o fthe injury or death..."

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Posted In: Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info.

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While the point of my Blog is not to discuss politics, my Douglasville law firm has been involved helping candidates in several local races throughout Douglas County. Law and politics are inextricably linked. I am involved to try to help make a difference in which I live and work. In the July 15th election, the turn-out was very low. There was a run-off election on August 5th in which turn-out was even lower. In fact, the only local race on the August 5th ballot was for the Douglas County Board of Education. About 1,000 people voted in this election.

Whether you live in Douglasveille, Lithia Springs, Paulding County, Carrollton, GA, or New York, NY, the decision made by politicians all levels affect our lives. Please remember to vote on November 4th, 2008. This may, perhaps, be the most significant election of our lives.

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Posted In: Douglasville & Douglas County Local Info.

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