Phone: (770) 886-1996
Fax: (770) 886-1997
Email: jhardylaw@gmail.com
Legal Education and Background
James E. Hardy, II is a life-long resident of Georgia. His father had a successful law practice for fifty-three years prior to his passing in 2003. Despite his "legal DNA", Jim pursued a career as an educator and coach combined with serving his country in the Unites States Marine Corp before making an independent decision to attend Law School.
Mr. Hardy earned his BBA in Management from the University of Georgia, where he also worked towards his Masters in Education. He is a member of the Alpha Mu chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha at the University of Georgia. Mr. Hardy is a 1986 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Woodrow Wilson College of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review. After his Juris Doctorate degree in Law, Mr. Hardy earned his Master of Laws in Litigation in 1987.
After being mentored by his late father and Donald W. Gettle, Esquire for two years, Mr. Hardy moved to Cumming, Georgia to open his own law practice where he specialized in Civil, Criminal, and Juvenile litigation. As time went on, Mr. Hardy's love of Constitutional Law, the preservation of our Constitutional rights, and the desire to make a difference in the lives of youthful offenders, narrowed his law practice to Criminal and Juvenile Defense.
Legal Affiliations
Mr. Hardy is a Founding Member and past President of the Forsyth County Criminal Defense Bar, during which time he and the late Honorable Richard S. Gault, Chief Superior Court Judge of Forsyth County, successfully pushed for the creation of the Forsyth County Drug Court. Mr. Hardy is also a member of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Forsyth County Bar Association. Mr. Hardy is certified to practice in all State and Federal Courts in Georgia.
Criminal Defense
Mr. Hardy's legal victories include "Not Guilty" verdicts in a multitude of cases including, but not limited to, Triple Murder, Murder, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, Drug Charges, DUI Charges, Traffic Offenses, and Domestic Violence Charges.
Mr. Hardy was also successful in removing a client from the Sexual Offender Registry who had been improperly entered ten years earlier after a consentual relationship between two teenagers when they were 15 and 17 years of age, respectfully. The client and his family got their lives back with a new beginning.
The future of our society is our youth, and many of them are in grave trouble in school, with their families and with the law. Although alcohol, drugs and broken homes have made juvenile defense much more difficult and challenging over the years, Mr. Hardy takes great pride in his efforts to defend and "turn around" the lives of those in the juvenile system as well as juveniles charged as adults. Mr. Hardy has been very successful in the Appellate Courts of Georgia as evidenced by The Georgia Court of Appeals reversal of a life sentence that was upheld by The Supreme Court of Georgia. Shortly thereafter, that decision was cited in a landmark appellate decision that changed the law on Kidnapping in the State of Georgia.
Mr. Hardy understands that a criminal conviction record as well as certain civil restraining orders and verdicts may cause you to lose your Second Amendment Right To Bear Arms -- forever. No hunting, no gun collecting, no firearm competitions, no concealed carry permit, and no firearms in your home, auto or business. That knowledge fuels his fight to preserve your Constitutional Right to Bare Arms.
Juvenile Defense
Having been a former high school teacher and coach, Mr. Hardy has a special love for juvenile defense where he has a chance to shape the lives of young people in hopes of making a difference in their futures.
When called upon, Mr. Hardy has assisted the Chief Juvenile Court Judge of Forsyth County in presiding over Juvenile Court proceedings, and the Juvenile Drug Court program. Mr. Hardy has also served his profession as a guest speaker at Continuing Legal Education Seminars on Juvenile Law.
Even after Mr. Hardy's juvenile cases have concluded, he makes himself available 24/7 to his clients for life so that they may call on him for advice at any time -- prior to making what might be a very wrong life-changing decision.
Special Prosecution
In addition to his defense work, Mr. Hardy was appointed and served as a Special Prosecutor for a week long jury trial involving Cruelty to Animal charges pending against a local businessman charged with shooting an Honor Student's coon dog that the boy had trained since a pup. The Jury returned a "Guilty" verdict for the Solicitor General's Office of Forsyth County, which was upheld on appeal.
Pro Bono Service
Mr. Hardy defended an animal rescue facility that took in injured and birth-deformed dogs. The County wanted to close the facility which would have slated the dogs for certain death. Mr. Hardy's relentless defense resulted in the dismissal of all the charges against the owners, and all previous fines and fees were reimbursed. Of course, all the dogs were saved!
Both the Special Prosecution of the Cruelty to Animals case, and the Dog Rescue facility defense were conducted pro bono -- at no expense to Forsyth County, the State of Georgia, or to the clients.
A Winning Athletic Background
In everything you do in life, there is a reward for winning. In criminal and juvenile defense, that reward is protecting the rights and liberties of your clients. You must never give up or back down. You have to be a Warrior who knows how to win. Mr. Hardy has experienced a lifetime of winning.
As an athlete and coach, Mr. Hardy has coached his teams, or individually won more than two dozen State, Regional and National Championships. He was a Georgia Powerlifting Champion and Nationally Ranked Bench Press record holder for sixteen consecutive years, in four different weight classes.
Mr. Hardy has been a competitive shooter since his high school Rifle Team days. He is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association where he was entered on the Millennium Honor Roll in 2000, and nominated to the Second Amendment Task Force in 2009.
In 1969, Mr. Hardy achieved the Expert Rifleman award in the United States Marine Corp with an M-14 combat weapon. He was the 2004 Ten Match Score Champion of the International Bench Rest Shooters Association at the Hawks Ridge 1000 Yard Bench Rest Club in Ferguson, North Carolina. Mr. Hardy won the Georgia State 600 yard F-Class Championship and Precision Shooting Magazine Award at River Bend Gun Club in 2004. In 2006, Mr. Hardy won the Georgia 1000 Yard F-Class Championship at Ft. Benning, Georgia.
While attending Law School in 1983, Mr. Hardy had a short one-year engagement in "Practical Pistol" competition with both revolvers and semi-automatic handguns. During this time, he entered and won all of his ten competitions.
Mr. Hardy holds National Rifle Association (NRA) High Master Classifications in Mid Range (600 yards) and Long Range (1000 yards) prone rifle competition. He has held NRA National Sr. Records at both 600 and 1000 yards. He made the the prestigous "Palma 20" at the 2008 Long Range National Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio.
On November 12-15, 2009, during a nation-wide selection process that culminated at Camp Butner, North Carolina, Mr. Hardy was named to the United States National Long Range Development Team whose members shall train to represent the United States of America in Palma and Full Bore competitions at The America Match, The National Long Range Championship, as well as Championships in South Africa, England and Canada in preparation for the next World Palma Championships to be held in Brisbane, Australia in 2011.
Mr. Hardy has found that the one-shot-at-a-time disicipline, and the calm reserve of competitive shooting, carries over to every other aspect of his life.
Faith, Family and Fun
Mr. Hardy and his wife share a deep faith in Jesus Christ. They pray for favor in every aspect of their lives and the lives of each and every client. Mr. Hardy has learned that unceasing prayer and conversations with Jesus Christ are the keys to success. Daily reflection on Isaiah 41:10 and Matthew 19:26 brings the realization that there is nothing to fear in life when all things are possible through God.
A life of faith is a life of fun. Mr. Hardy's most enjoyable moments are spent making sweet memories with his wife while fishing on the family pond, enjoying the outdoors, and playing with their dogs.