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Honoring Veterans

Kim Stephens • November 11, 2015

Happy Veteran’s Day to all those who are currently serving or have served our country. Your sacrifice and the sacrifice of your families is a debt too great to ever repay. We thank you, honor you, and keep you in our prayers daily. At Stephens and Brown today, we are paying tribute to a former client and friend– First Sergeant Ray L. Kinney. We hope you will take a minute to read Sgt. Kinney’s story. He is a remarkable man, and we are proud to know him.

First Sergeant Ray Kinney is the First Sergeant for Bravo Troop 1- 108th CAV R&S Squadron. He enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1994 as a Ground Surveillance Radar Operator (96R) in the 320th MICO where he served for two years. Following the deactivation of the 320th MICO he transferred to the 248th MICO 48th BDE Georgia Army National Guard where he finished out his first enlistment. First Sergeant Kinney re-enlisted at the completion of his first term of service and transitioned into the 648th Engineer Battalion as a Combat Engineer (12B) in Statesboro, GA.

First Sergeant Kinney mobilized and deployed to S.W. Asia (IRAQ) in 2004 as a team leader in Alpha Company 648th EN (Sapper), 48th Brigade Combat Team, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. He conducted combat operations throughout Iraq in and around the Sunni Triangle as a Combat Engineer executing route clearance and counter IED operations. Following redeployment from Iraq, First Sergeant Kinney was assigned as Senior Engineer Sergeant from late 2006-2007 to HHC BDE 48th BDE Combat Team in Macon, GA as a Staff Sergeant until the end of his enlistment. In 2008 First Sergeant Kinney re-enlisted in 3-108th R&S Squadron as an 11B assigned to H Co 1-121st INF LRS as a team leader. While there First Sergeant Kinney coordinated numerous airborne missions, stood up the first ever SCUBA insertion team, resourced and executed the Combat Tactical tracking Operations course, and was instrumental in dedicating 1SG John D Blair Drop Zone at Catoosa Training Center in Ringgold, GA. Upon Completion of his ADOS time in 3-108th First Sergeant Kinney accepted an ADOS position with the South Carolina National Guard as a Warrior Leader Course Instructor at Eastover South Carolina 218th Non Commissioned Officer Academy. First Sergeant Kinney returned to the Georgia Army National Guard after receiving a Federal Technician Job with 3-108th CAV back in the Assistant S-3 capacity. Shortly after returning to 3rd Squadron First Sergeant Kinney was awarded an AGR position with Bravo Troop 3-108th CAV and was promoted within that troop as the Readiness Non Commissioned Officer. During his time in Bravo Troop First Sergeant Kinney deployed to Kosovo for Operation Enduring Freedom KFOR and served as the Multi-National Task Force S3 NCOIC for the Liaison Monitoring Teams. First Sergeant Kinney is a graduate of Warrior Leaders Course (Distinguished Honor Graduate/Outstanding Leadership Award, Commandants List), Advanced Leadership Course, Maneuver Senior Leadership Course (Honor Graduate), First Sergeant Course, Army Mountain Warfare School, Airborne School, Air Assault School, Tactical Tracking Operations School, Army Combatives Level 1, Readiness NCO Course (PEC), Army Basic Instructors Course, Small Group Instructor Course. 1SG Kinney has also attended the U.S. Army Military Intelligence School (96R), U.S. Army Infantry School (11B), U.S. Army Combat Engineer School (12B), U.S. Army Cavalry School (19D).

His awards and decorations include: Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device and 10 year Bronze Hourglass, Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (4th Award), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (4th Award), National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd Award), NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, Combat Action Badge, Driver and Mechanic Badge with Driver-Wheeled Vehicle Clasp, German Army Marksmanship Badge Gold, NCO Badge with Roman Numeral 3, Parachutist badge, Australian Parachutist Badge, Brazilian Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Order of St. George Medallion, 3-108th Cavalry Regimental Affiliation.

First Sergeant Kinney currently serves as the 1-108th Squadron Operations NCOIC / B TRP First Sergeant.

He resides in Woodstock, Georgia with his wife Dayna, their three sons, Kainen, Bo, and Luke.

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Athens Laws and Ordinances that Students Need to Know

By Kim Stephens • August 14, 2019

Stephens & Brown , Athens Georgia’s premier DUI and criminal defense law firm , welcomes University of Georgia , University of North Georgia , Athens Technical College , and Piedmont College students back to Athens . The fall is an exciting time in Athens, with students returning to the city, and football season just around the corner. Former Bulldog All-American and criminal defense attorney Kim Stephens encourages incoming students to study, work hard, have fun, and be careful to avoid being arrested and forever branded as a criminal.

Georgia Supreme Court Strikes Down Portions of DUI Law and Supports the Right to Refuse a DUI Breath Test

By Kim Stephens • February 20, 2019

The Supreme Court of Georgia has made an important decision regarding the State’s use of a person’s right to refuse a DUI breath test as evidence in that person’s DUI trial . Elliott v. State , originally a 2015 Georgia DUI case , made it before the Supreme Court of Georgia. In a unanimous opinion, the Court held that when a person refuses to submit to a chemical test of his or her breath, the fact that they refused testing cannot be used against the accused at trial. Prosecutors should no longer be able to comment on a person’s refusal or motive to refuse testing. Judges will no longer instruct juries that they should presume a person was under the influence of alcohol merely because he or she refused to take a state breath test. The Georgia Supreme Court has now officially recognized that a person has a constitutional right to refuse a DUI breath test .

What Students Need to Know About State Laws and Ordinances in Athens

By Kim Stephens • August 10, 2018

Stephens & Brown , Athens Georgia’s premier DUI and criminal defense law firm , welcomes University of Georgia , University of North Georgia , Athens Technical College , and Piedmont College students back to Athens and encourages students to learn about the state laws and ordinances in Athens to avoid criminal charges while studying here. The fall is an exciting time in Athens, with students returning to the city, and football season just around the corner. Former Bulldog All-American and criminal defense attorney Kim Stephens encourages incoming students to study, work hard, have fun, and avoid being arrested and forever branded as a criminal. Remember, if you are charged with a crime or asked to meet with school administrators about alleged crimes, academic dishonesty, or other violations of your school’s Honor Code, it is essential that you hire an attorney who can provide you with a powerful defense and protect your future. Kim Stephens defends students every day against false or inflated accusations, winning in court, and preventing incidents from impacting students’ education and lives beyond college. Students should be aware of the following state laws and local ordinances:

Georgia’s Distracted Driver Law 2018

By Kim Stephens • June 11, 2018

On July 1, 2018, Georgia’s distracted driver law takes effect. This new law prohibits drivers in the State of Georgia from using wireless communication devices including cell phones and tablets/Ipads in any manner other than through a hands free accessory, i.e. Bluetooth technology.

Athens Attorneys Celebrate Medical Professionals Appreciation Week

By Kim Stephens • May 11, 2018

Our Athens attorneys showed their appreciation for local medical workers with breakfast this week. The offices at Prince and King are located right next door to Piedmont Hospital in Athens, and we see the hardworking doctors, nurses, technicians, and staff every day, as well as the employees of the many other medical offices located on Prince Avenue. To show our appreciation for the work they do, our attorneys and staff provided breakfast and coffee outside our office on Tuesday morning. Criminal defense attorney, Kim T. Stephens , personal injury attorney Blaine Norris , and divorce attorney Michael S. Brown enjoyed meeting our local medical professionals, sharing food, and yes, a few bad lawyer jokes. We are thankful to all those who serve in the medical profession and want to express our appreciation to them this week and every week.

DUI Defense — What You Need to Know

By Kim Stephens • April 26, 2018

Underage DUI: If you are under the age of twenty-one and drive any vehicle after consuming alcoholic beverages, you may be charged with DUI. Even if you are lucky enough to avoid a DUI charge, your driver’s license would likely be suspended if you are charged with MIP while driving. Don’t put yourself or others at risk. Walk (preferably with a friend so that you won’t be a good candidate for being robbed or mugged), call a sober friend, have a designated driver, take a cab, or let Uber help you.

Myth Busting Part 2: 10 Traffic Laws You Probably Didn’t Know Existed

By Kim Stephens • March 5, 2018

10 Traffic Laws You Probably Didn’t Know Existed You can be pulled over for going the speed limit. No left-lane cruising! Georgia law requires drivers in the left lane on a highway, interstate or expressway to move over if a faster car approaches from behind. You have to move over one lane for garbage trucks. Under Georgia’s “Move-Over Law,” drivers must move over one lane for all types of emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the highway including police cars, HERO units, ambulances, fire trucks, and even garbage trucks. If heavy traffic will not allow you to move over, the law says you should slow down to 10 miles per hour below the speed limit. It’s illegal to use the center lane to merge into traffic. The center “turn lane” cannot be legally used for any purposes except to make a left turn… hence, the name: “turn lane.” Drivers must enter the center lane 300 feet or less from the location where they will turn left, per Georgia law. You cannot wear headphones in both ears while driving. If your car speakers are broken or you use headphones to talk on the phone, you’ll have to settle for one ear or the other. You can wear a headphone in one ear but not both. NO open alcoholic containers in the car, period. Neither the driver nor the passenger can have an open alcoholic beverage. NO part of your tag can be obstructed from view. Tag frames and tinted covering of tags that obstruct any portion of the tag are illegal in Georgia. Don’t get pulled over for something as silly as concealing your tag. You can get a DUI on a horse. Yes, a horse. Bicycles, utility carts, golf carts, tractors, lawnmowers, horses and other things that transport you are classified as vehicles for certain purposes in Georgia. Law enforcement officers in Georgia have arrested people for DUI while driving all of these items. It will be interesting to see if “hoverboards” and Segway type devices will be classified as vehicles for DUI purposes. If it is raining and you don’t have your headlights on, you are breaking the law. Georgia law requires car headlights to be turned on when it’s raining. Drivers must turn on headlights when driving in the rain. Having automatic lights that don’t turn on during a storm is not a defense; ensure that you manually turn them on each time it rains. If all the traffic lights go out at an intersection, the law requires drivers to treat it as a four-way stop. Please be aware of this requirement during this stormy time of year. Finally, and most importantly, IT IS ILLEGAL TO TEXT OR DO ANYTHING ELSE WITH A MOBILE PHONE WHILE DRIVING A VEHICLE OTHER THAN MAKING OR RECEIVING A CALL – EVEN IF THE CAR IS STOPPED. Understand this, a driver cannot use any wireless communications device to write, send, or read any text based communication, including but not limited to a text message, instant message, e-mail, social media platform, or any other internet data unless legally parked off the roadway. PS- Watch out! In other states, such as California, it is illegal to answer or make phone calls with a handheld device… meaning you must use a Bluetooth or hands-free device only.

Athens Criminal Defense and Family Law Firm Move to Prince Avenue

By Kim Stephens • February 12, 2018

We are now settled in our new location at the corner of Prince and King. 1143 Prince Avenue has undergone extensive renovations, and has been lovingly restored to its former glory. We are just waiting for our sign to be completed– the one in the picture here is temporary.

Arrested for a Crime: Myth Busting: Part I

By Kim Stephens • February 7, 2018

Have you been arrested and charged with a crime? Nationally ranked defense attorney Kim T. Stephens explains the truth behind many myths and preconceptions people have about arrests.