This is how police are now enforcing Georgiaโs news squatter laws following Channel 2 investigations
Summary
TLDRGeorgia has enacted tougher laws against squatters, transforming the issue from a civil to a criminal matter. The new legislation comes in response to investigative reports by Channel 2 Action News, which revealed how squatters were exploiting legal loopholes. Local police departments are now empowered to criminally charge squatters on the spot. South Fulton has established a special task force to address the issue. The law requires suspected squatters to present a lease within three days, and if the lease is found to be fraudulent, the case escalates to a felony. Additionally, the law enables not just homeowners but also neighbors and Homeowner Associations to report suspected squatters. The change aims to expedite the process of dealing with squatters, ensuring they are swiftly issued criminal citations and are no longer able to use fake leases to prolong their unlawful occupation.
Takeaways
- ๐๏ธ New Law: Georgia has implemented tougher penalties against squatters, turning it into a criminal offense rather than a civil matter.
- ๐ Investigations: A series of investigations by Channel Two Action News exposed loopholes that squatters were exploiting, leading to the law change.
- ๐ฎโโ๏ธ Police Powers: Local police departments, including South Fulton, have gained new powers to criminally charge squatters on the spot.
- ๐ Fake Leases: Suspected squatters have been using fake leases to claim tenancy, which the new law aims to combat.
- ๐ Task Force: South Fulton has created a special task force to specifically target and deal with squatters using the new law.
- ๐๏ธ Monitoring: The new law allows for immediate criminal citations to be issued to suspected squatters, requiring them to present a valid lease within three days.
- ๐ Lease Verification: If the presented lease is found to be fraudulent, the case escalates from a misdemeanor to a felony.
- ๐๏ธ Expanded Reporting: The new law enables not just homeowners, but also neighbors and HOAs to report suspected squatters to the police.
- ๐ค Confusion for Renters: Some renters may be unaware they are squatting, having been deceived by companies that took their money without rightful claim to the property.
- ๐ก Eviction and Recurrence: The script mentions a case where a suspected squatter was evicted but then appeared at another property, indicating the complexity and recurrence of the issue.
Q & A
What is the new law in Georgia regarding squatters?
-The new law in Georgia imposes tougher penalties against squatters, making it a criminal offense that must be dealt with in Magistrate Court within days rather than a civil matter that could take weeks or months.
What was the situation before the new law was enacted?
-Before the new law, squatters could take advantage of loopholes and police were unable to criminally charge them on the spot. Squatting was a civil matter that often took a long time to resolve through the courts.
How are local police departments responding to the new law?
-Some police departments are still figuring out how to implement the new law, but South Fulton has created a special task force to pursue squatters with the authority of the new law.
What is the role of solicitors General and local magistrates in the new law?
-Solicitors General and local magistrates are part of the judicial system that is now empowered to deal with squatters as a criminal matter under the new law.
What happened when South Fulton police used their new powers to address squatters?
-When South Fulton police used their new powers to address squatters, the suspected squatters tried to flee and presented what the police believed to be fake leases.
What was the situation with Paul Call's DeKalb County home?
-Paul Call's DeKalb County home was occupied by a suspected squatter who presented a fake lease. The police were unable to prove the lease was fake and had to leave, telling Call it was not a criminal matter.
What has changed for homeowners like Paul Call with the new law?
-With the new law, homeowners like Paul Call can expect a quicker response from the police, who can now issue criminal citations to suspected squatters and deal with the matter in court more promptly.
What is the eviction process like under the new law?
-Under the new law, suspected squatters are supposed to immediately be issued a criminal citation and have three days to present a lease. If the lease is fraudulent, the case can escalate from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Who can report suspected squatters under the new law?
-Not just homeowners, but also neighbors and HOA members can report suspected squatters to the police under the new law, asking for an investigation into the squatter situation.
What happens if the people renting the homes were unaware they were squatting?
-If the people renting the homes were unaware they were squatting and were victims of a scam, these cases would be worked out in court, where the magistrate courts will make the final decision.
Outlines
๐๏ธ New Anti-Squatter Law in Georgia
Georgia has implemented stricter laws against squatters following investigative reports by Channel Two Action News. The new legislation aims to close loopholes that squatters were exploiting. Consumer investigator Justin Gray explores how local police departments are utilizing their new powers to charge squatters criminally. While many departments are still figuring out the enforcement process, South Fulton has established a special task force to address the issue. The law change has empowered police to issue criminal citations on the spot to suspected squatters, as seen in a recent incident where squatters fled when confronted. Previously, police could not take immediate action against squatters presenting fake leases, leaving property owners to deal with lengthy civil court processes. The updated law mandates that squatters be dealt with in Magistrate Court within days, turning it into a criminal matter. South Fulton police have already begun visiting properties under the new law, and suspected squatters are now issued criminal citations and given a three-day window to present a lease. If the lease is found to be fraudulent, the case escalates to a felony. The law also allows anyone, not just homeowners, to report suspected squatters.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กSquatters
๐กTougher Penalties
๐กLegal Loopholes
๐กCriminal Citations
๐กSpecial Task Force
๐กEviction Process
๐กFake Leases
๐กCriminal Offense
๐กMagistrate Court
๐กUnpaid Rent
๐กScam Victims
Highlights
Georgia's new law imposes tougher penalties against squatters.
The law was enacted following investigations by Channel Two Action News exposing squatters exploiting legal loopholes.
Consumer investigator Justin Gray is examining how local police departments are utilizing their new powers to charge squatters criminally.
Many departments are still figuring out how to implement the new law.
South Fulton has created a special task force to deal with squatters under the new law.
The new law allows police to criminally cite squatters on the spot.
Previously, suspected squatters could use fake leases to avoid immediate eviction.
The new law has shifted the handling of squatters from civil to criminal matters to be dealt with in Magistrate Court.
The law change aims to expedite the eviction process for squatters from weeks or months to a matter of days.
The new law empowers not only homeowners but also neighbors and HOAs to report suspected squatters.
Suspected squatters are now supposed to be issued a criminal citation immediately and have three days to present a lease.
If the presented lease is fraudulent, the case escalates from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Some renters were unaware they were squatting, having been scammed by a company.
The authenticity of the lease and the squatter's claims will be determined in court.
The new law aims to put suspected squatters on notice and change the dynamics of property occupation without permission.
Channel 2 Action News conducted an exclusive hidden camera investigation into squatter issues.
The story features a case where a suspected squatter, Teisha Bailey, was evicted but then found in another property nearby.
Bailey claims to be a scam victim rather than a squatter, highlighting the complexity of such cases.
Transcripts
new at five Georgia's new tougher
penalties against squatters are now the
law of the land the new law comes after
a series of channel two Action News
investigations exposed the loophole
squaders were taking advantage of Now
consumer investigator Justin Gray is
looking into how local police
departments are using their new poers to
criminally charge squatters Karen we've
been reaching out to police departments
solicitors General and local magistrates
about this to see if criminal citations
are now being written to squatters many
of the Departments tell tell us they are
still trying to figure out how all this
is going to work but South Fulton has
already created a special task force
just to go after squatters armed with
the authority of this new law I know
everybody think you can go in the house
and squat and sit that law changeed the
other day that law changed the other day
when police officers knocked on the door
of this South Fulton home this month
armed with new powers to sight squatters
criminally on the spot the suspected
squatters ran out the back door all
these fake leases and I got receipts for
this and I rented this no no no that's
over with so we're basically putting
these Quarters on notice the laws Chang
Y squ in my house it was a very
different scene earlier this spring when
police were called to Paul Call's decab
County Home they'll break in your house
and then use the law to stay in there
where is it you had the lease
man yeah you got the police police body
camera video was rolling as officers
were handed what they suspected was a a
fake lease so you got somebody with a
fake lease yeah I think the lease is
fake but you know there's no way I can
prove it so the officers just left told
Callin and the suspected squatter it's
not a criminal matter this will take
time like we we can't put you out cuz we
not here for that and uh he have to deal
with it with L courts and so they
shouldn't be in there for you know a
minute they should be you know out
immediately are you selling a squatter
home right here after an exclusive
Channel 2 Action news hidden camera
investigation and a series of viral
Channel 2 Action News squatter stories
Georgia lawmakers rewrote the law on
squatters spelling out that this is a
crime that must be dealt with in
Magistrate Court in a matter of days not
weeks or months this is no longer a
civil matter um once this law was passed
it has now became a criminal offense hi
yeah it's Justin Gray from Channel 2 are
you squatting in this home no I'm not
you're not this is one of the first
houses South Fulton police have visited
under the new La just last week they
determined the suspected squatter is in
the eviction process with the corporate
landlord who is looking to recoup
$60,000 in unpaid rent you feel like you
all can react quicker now absolutely I
think with the current law that is now
in effect we will be able to react more
proactively let's go back to Paul
callen's home Channel 2 Action News
cameras were there the day Marshalls
evicted Teisha Bailey from the house but
look what we found right down the street
a few weeks later criminal trespass
notice
decab Marshalls been evicted by the
decab Marshall's office Jane Doe evicted
here according to the paperwork but look
at the belongings see anything familiar
how about the same suitcase we notice
the luggage tag here Teisha Bailey
that's the same woman at the other Home
according to court records the alleged
squatters here claim to have been
scammed that's the same thing Teisha
Bailey says about Paul callen's house
Bailey told me in an Instagram message
that she's no squatter that she is a
scam victim who was evicted from
suspected squatter homes twice in a
month so yeah this is crazy like I Lally
spend half of my tax in here here on my
kids it's crazy because they they're
just going to find the next victim and
get out of that one but under the new
Georgia law suspected squatters now will
immediately be issued a criminal
citation all all
and so under the new Georgia law
suspected squatters are supposed to
immediately be issued a criminal
citation and have three days to present
a lease if that lease is fraudulent this
goes from a misdem meter case to a
felony another thing with the new law is
that it doesn't have to just be the
homeowner who reports this now anyone a
neighbor an HOA can call police and say
we want you to investigate this squatter
home and it looks like what you found
though was some of the people renting
the homes didn't know they were
squatting they were giving their money
to a company that was being B that with
them we see that in some cases we also
see people saying that and that is what
gets worked out in court that is what
these magist courts are going to decide
wow a lot going on Justin thanks
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