We help people in their teens and twenties navigate both the criminal justice system and school disciplinary proceedings. If your child has been charged with making threats at school in Georgia, contact our legal team immediately to help protect their future.
When your child faces both school suspension and criminal charges for alleged threats, you’re dealing with two separate systems that can both impact their future.
School tribunals move quickly. Criminal and juvenile cases have their own timeline. Evidence is being gathered in both proceedings.
Your child’s educational future and criminal record are both at risk.
No matter what your child said or how it was interpreted, the best thing you can do is get your legal team working on both cases immediately.
Under Georgia Code Section 16-11-37, a person commits terroristic threats when they threaten to commit violence, release hazardous substances, or damage property. The threat must be made with the purpose of terrorizing someone, causing evacuation, or creating serious public inconvenience, or with reckless disregard for causing terror, evacuation, or serious public inconvenience.
Here’s what many parents don’t realize: the law doesn’t require your child to actually mean the threat.
If prosecutors believe your child acted in “reckless disregard” of the risk of causing terror or inconvenience, that’s enough for charges.
What does this mean for your family? Even words spoken in anger, jokes taken out of context, or private messages shared without permission can lead to criminal charges.
When schools refer threat cases to law enforcement, your child faces consequences in two different systems:
Schools can suspend or expel students for threats, even before any criminal or juvenile case is resolved. School tribunals typically happen within 10 days of the incident.
Your child has rights in this process:
For those 17 and older, Terroristic Threat charges in Georgia can carry serious penalties:
Enhanced penalties apply if the threat was made to intimidate witnesses or retaliate against someone involved in legal proceedings.
Those 16 and younger will generally face Terroristic Threat charges in a Georgia Juvenile Court.
Schools operate under federal and state mandates to maintain safe learning environments. After high-profile incidents nationwide, administrators often err on the side of caution.
What triggers school threat investigations:
Schools often involve law enforcement immediately, even for incidents that might have been handled as disciplinary matters in the past.
Every case is different, but our legal team often challenges threat cases on several grounds:
Not every statement that mentions violence constitutes a legally punishable threat. We examine whether:
Schools and law enforcement must follow proper procedures when investigating and charging students. We look for:
The circumstances surrounding the statement matter. We present evidence about:
Do not wait to get help. The decisions you make in the first 48 hours can determine the outcome of both cases.
Say nothing more to school officials without legal representation. Anything your child says can be used in both the school tribunal and criminal or juvenile case.
Don’t sign any agreements or waivers without consulting with our legal team first.
Preserve evidence that might help your child’s case, including text messages, social media posts, and witness contact information.
Keep detailed records of:
These situations are traumatic for young people. Consider counseling or support services while we handle the legal aspects of your case.
We understand that people in their teens and twenties make mistakes. Our approach focuses on your family’s specific goals and concerns.
We handle both the school disciplinary process and criminal charges simultaneously. This prevents one case from harming the other.
Our team immediately begins gathering evidence that supports your child’s character and challenges the allegations. This includes:
When appropriate, we work with prosecutors and school officials to find alternatives to traditional punishment:
It depends on the final resolution. Our goal is to achieve outcomes that minimize long-term educational impacts.
Yes, schools can take disciplinary action independently of criminal or juvenile proceedings. This is why immediate legal representation is crucial.
Intent matters, but so does impact. Even jokes can lead to charges if they create fear or disruption. We help prove when statements weren’t true threats.
School threat cases move quickly, but they don’t have to define your child’s future. With the right legal strategy, many of these cases can be resolved in ways that protect both educational opportunities and criminal records.
The key is acting immediately. Every day you wait gives prosecutors and school officials more time to build their cases while limiting your options.
If your child is facing both school suspension and criminal charges for alleged threats, contact our legal team immediately. We’ll evaluate your situation, explain your options, and begin developing a coordinated defense strategy.
Our consultation will help you understand what you’re facing and how we can protect your child’s future. Don’t let one mistake define the rest of their life.
Call our office today to schedule your consultation and begin fighting for your child’s future.
Ghanouni Teen & Young Adult Defense Firm 691 John Wesley Dobbs Ave NE unit 225, Atlanta, GA 30312
Ghanouni Teen & Young Adult Defense Firm 2765 S Main St Suite C-2, Kennesaw, GA 30144
Ghanouni Teen & Young Adult Defense Firm 3227 S. Cherokee Lane, Suite 1360, Woodstock, GA 30188