Arson Criminal Defense Attorney in Marietta, GA

The Merchant Law Firm

Arson is an extremely serious offense that involves the destruction of property by fire or by the use of an explosive. Throughout our years of criminal defense practice, our legal team has found that many arson allegations are the result of erroneous law enforcement investigations. After any type of fire, law enforcement officers typically conduct investigations to discover the cause.

Often, they commit a number of mistakes or rely too heavily on circumstantial evidence. As a result, they wrongly prosecute defendants who are entirely innocent or who contributed to the fire without intent and by pure accident. As experienced representation can effectively disprove a prosecution's case, your first priority after you have been arrested and charged for arson should be working with our team of Marietta criminal defense attorneys.

Georgia prosecutes arson under several different criminal offenses. These include:

Arson in the First Degree

First degree arson, Georgia Code § 16-7-60, is committed when a person knowingly damages or knowingly causes, aids, abets, advises, encourages, hires, counsels or procures another to damage by fire or explosive:

• Any dwelling house without consent, whether it is occupied, unoccupied, or vacant
• Any building, vehicle, railroad car, watercraft or other structure
• Any house, building, vehicle, or other property with intent to defraud spouse or co-owner
• Any property when it reasonably foreseeable that human life might be endangered

Arson in the first degree is punishable by a fine of up to $50,000, imprisonment for a maximum of 20 years, or both.

Arson in the Second Degree

Damage to any structure or property not included under arson in the first degree can be charged as arson in the second degree. Punishment includes fines up to $25,000, imprisonment up to ten years, or both.

Arson in the Third Degree

An individual commits arson in the third degree when they knowingly damage or knowingly cause another to damage by fire or by explosive any personal property of another with a value of $25 or more. Penalties include fines up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.

Get a Marietta Criminal Attorney with Two Decades of Combined Experience

Having practiced criminal defense for nearly two decades, our legal team is fully prepared to handle even the most challenging cases. Arson is a serious allegation and requires meticulous preparation and dedication.