The Goolsby Law Firm Brag Board

[Photo of the Goolsby Law Firm, 233 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA]

Recently, I included a post in which I bragged about my second son Blake's passing the Georgia bar exam and joining our Augusta, Georgia family law firm. Today, I hope you don't mind that, as a proud father, I once again want to brag a little bit--this time about my third son, Zachary. Zach is home for Christmas break and has now passed the midway point of law school! 

In other words, Zach has three semesters down and only three more semesters to go until graduation! Then, I believe we will be the only law firm in the history of the State of Georgia composed of a parent and three children--practicing law together--who are attorneys!

As Augusta, GA lawyers, we primarily handle divorces, child custody cases, adoptions, personal injury cases, and criminal cases, in both state and federal court. I believe I am the only former twenty year federal prosecutor in the Augusta and Evans, Georgia area. I have handled some of the largest, most complex fraud and public corruption cases in Georgia and U.S. history.

My first two lawyer sons, Richard (Ric) Goolsby, Jr. and Blake Goolsby, with whom I presently practice law in Augusta, both graduated from Mercer Law School. My third son, Zach Goolsby, presently attends the University of Georgia School of Law, which is where I also graduated. He and I will be the two "Double Dawgs" in our family law firm!

So, thank you for understanding and allowing me--a proud father--to brag once again! 

Congrats, Zach! We are very proud of you and look forward to your joining us at The Goolsby Law Firm! 

Drones v. Right to Privacy

Drone depiction from telegraph.co.uk]

We have all seen how the U.S. military has spied upon terrorists and "brought to justice" many of them in hot spots around the world. But this post does not involve such uses of drones to nail terrorists overseas.

Instead, I want to talk to you about the trend toward widespread usage of drones by law enforcement in the United States. According to various news reports, there will be about 30,000 drones in use in this country by the year 2020. Also, according to a recent survey by the Associated Press and The National Constitution Center, 44% of Americans actually support the idea of police using drones to track and catch criminals. Only 36% reportedly opposed it, according to the survey.

I don't know about you, but as a free citizen in a democratic society, I am alarmed about this trend involving unregulated usage of drones to watch us and about popular opinion in support of it. While I am very supportive of law enforcement using all legitimate tools to catch the "bad guys," (after all, while I presently may be an Augusta, GA criminal defense lawyer, I was a federal prosecutor for over 20 years), I am worried about "Big Brother" abusing this tool to stifle dissent and otherwise to step on our Constitution!

What do you think?