Mr. Phillip Comer Griffeth | Attorney

Born in Athens, Georgia, Phillip grew up in neighboring Madison County and attended public schools there from kindergarten through twelfth grade. He graduated from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina in 1989 and from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia in 1993 (cum laude). At Mercer, Phillip served as Georgia Survey Editor for the Mercer Law Review and on the Intrastate & National Teams for the Moot Court Board, winning Regional Best Brief Award & competing as a Regional Finalist in the 1993 National Moot Court Competition in New York City.

As an Associate Attorney at one of the Southeast's largest litigation firms specializing in the risk industry located in Atlanta, Phillip litigated first party property insurance cases in Superior Court and represented Employers at hearings before the State Board of Workers' Compensation, including settlement mediations, for over three years. He has almost eight years experience as a local prosecutor. While in the Athens-Clarke County Solicitor-General's Office from 1997 until 2000, he served as a full-time prosecuting attorney for Athens-Clarke County, representing the State's interests in all court appearances, including arraignments, motion hearings, and trials of misdemeanors, both jury and non-jury, in the Superior, State, Magistrate, and Municipal Courts of Athens-Clarke County. He was selected as the first Domestic Violence Prosecutor under a Violence Against Women Act grant in 1997. From 2001 through 2004, Phillip served as Senior Assistant District Attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit (Athens-Clarke and Oconee Counties), again representing the State's interests in all court appearances, including arraignments, motion hearings, and trials of both felonies and misdemeanors, both jury and non-jury. He was Oconee County's First Full-Time Assistant District Attorney.

Opening his own practice in 2004, Phillip has devoted the last three and one-half years of his career to representing individuals charged with crimes in Athens-Clarke and surrounding counties. While most cases are in the Western, Northern, and Piedmont Circuits, he also travels to other areas of Northeast Georgia, including the Ocmulgee, Alcovy, and Enota Circuits, with appearances in Magistrate, Probate, Juvenile, Municipal, State, and Superior Courts. He also represents individuals charged with DUI before Georgia Department of Driver Services and area traffic courts. Phillip represents employees injured on the job before the State Board of Workers' Compensation and also represents individuals and businesses in resolving commercial disputes and, if necessary, litigating their claims.

While in private practice, Phillip has taught Criminal Law and Procedure as an Adjunct Faculty member for Athens Technical College. He had previously served as a Certified Guest Instructor for the Police Officers Standards and Training Council; as an Instructor for the University of Georgia School of Law's Daniel Mock Trial Team; and as an Assistant Coach for the Clarke Central High School Mock Trial Team. In 2007, Phillip was the only attorney in private practice recommended as one of four finalists by the State Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) to fill a vacancy within the State Court of Athens-Clarke County, created with the passage of House Bill 215 during the 2007 legislative session.

Courts presently admitted to practice:

Georgia Supreme Court (1993), Georgia Court of Appeals (1993), United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia (1993), United States District Court, Middle District of Georgia (2008)

Significant litigated matters:

As prosecuting attorney:

Cochran v. State, 259 Ga. App. 130 (2003) (sole trial counsel for the State in simple battery prosecution in which the Defendant was charged with harming an elderly female resident of the nursing home where she was employed) (State Court of Athens-Clarke County); Jones v. State, 270 Ga. App. 233 (2004) (sole trial counsel for the State in prosecution for armed robbery, et al)(Clarke County Superior Court); Goldsby, et al v. State, 273 Ga. App. 523 (2005) (sole trial counsel for the State in multi-defendant prosecution for manufacturing methamphetamine, trafficking in methamphetamine, conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, and conspiracy to traffic in methamphetamine) (Oconee County Superior Court); Autry v. State, 277 Ga. App. 305 (2006) (sole trial counsel for the State in prosecution for trafficking in methamphetamine)(Oconee County Superior Court)

Criminal Defense Litigation:

Negotiated dismissal of family violence aggravated assault charges after retaining expert in battered person syndrome (State v. F.O., Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County, SU-05-CR-0170-S)

Negotiated dismissal of family violence terroristic threats charges when alleged victim also subject to prosecution and to TPO Order (State v. A.W., Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County, SU-04-CR-1891)

Negotiated dismissal of possession of firearm by convicted felon charges since underlying charge formed basis for prior probation revocation sentence (State v. C.L., Superior Court of Madison County, 04-MR-177-T)

Negotiation of dismissal for one individual charged in multi-defendant V.G.C.S.A. prosecution for possession of marijuana and cocaine, after hearings on pre-trial motions (State v. P.B., Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County, SU-04-CR-1846-SW)

Obtained jury verdict of acquittal in drive-by shooting case after four-day jury trial on aggravated assault indictment (State v. B.D.R., Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County, SU-05-CR-0504-S)

Negotiated dismissal of burglary charge, (State v. M.B., Superior Court of Madison County, 05-MR-91-H)

Negotiated dismissal of Theft by Shoplifting case (State v. T.M.; Superior Court of Oconee County; Case No. 2005 CR-0312-S)

No violation found after Superior Court probation revocation hearing and underlying aggravated assault dismissed (State v. D.B., Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County; SU-07-CR-0610)

Civil Litigation:

Represented homeowner in successful arbitration against builder regarding drainage issues and contract dispute on Purchase & Sale Agreement before American Arbitration Association

Hale v. Scarborough, 279 Ga. App. 614 (2006) (sole counsel for defendant in petition for injunction case involving property line dispute) (Madison County Superior Court)

Civil judgment obtained with co-counsel in multi-plaintiff suit for unfair, deceptive and unlawful trade practices against local car dealership (Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County, SU-05-CV-0909-SW).