At Legal Sandbox Georgia, we recognize that environmental crimes are increasingly prosecuted with the severity of major felonies. Whether you are a corporation facing massive fines and liability for Environmental Pollution (Article 293/294), or an individual accused of poaching, the state must meet a high burden of proof regarding "substantial damage." Our defense strategy for pollution charges involves complex scientific litigation. We challenge the prosecution's link between your business activity and the alleged contamination. By employing independent environmental engineers and toxicologists, we dispute the sampling methodology and the calculation of ecological damage. We often prove that the contamination pre-existed or originated from a third-party source, breaking the chain of causation required for criminal liability.
Illegal Logging (Article 303) is a charge that carries significant prison time (up to 7 years) if the damage exceeds a certain monetary threshold or involves protected species. Our defense focuses on the precise valuation of the timber. The state often inflates the value of the felled trees to reach the "significant damage" threshold necessary for a felony charge. We commission independent forestry experts to reassess the volume and species of the timber, aiming to prove the value falls below the criminal limit, thereby downgrading the case to an administrative fine. We also scrutinize the boundary maps to contest allegations that logging occurred in a "protected area."
For Wildlife Crimes (Illegal Hunting/Fishing - Articles 300/301), the prosecution often relies on the confiscation of equipment (weapons, boats) as primary evidence. We defend clients accused of using prohibited methods (e.g., electric shock, explosives) by challenging the forensic link between the equipment and the wildlife found. If the charge involves "Red List" endangered species, we demand strict genetic identification of the animal remains. Legal Sandbox Georgia provides a shield against the state’s aggressive environmental enforcement, protecting your liberty and your livelihood.
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