Our Mission
“Zeliff | Watson will protect you, alleviate the stress of your pending legal matter, safeguard your constitutional rights, and secure the best possible outcome for your criminal charges.“
Peter Zeliff and Evan Watson of Zeliff | Watson accomplish this by educating, empowering, and protecting their clients’ constitutional rights. They give clients the tools to make informed decisions about their cases, ensuring they are active participants in their defense. Their clients deserve to have their side of the story heard in court and their innocence fully understood by the prosecutor, judge, and jury.
Restoring Justice: How Zeliff | Watson Defends Your Constitutional Rights
The team at Zeliff | Watson understands that being investigated for a crime can feel stressful and frightening, as if your life is out of control. The truth is, you have constitutional rights, and with those rights come immense power.
The Constitution ensures that every citizen is protected by the law, embodying the principles of equality and justice for all.
Peter Zeliff and Evan Watson chose to become attorneys after witnessing firsthand how the broken justice system continuously fails society. From overpowered prosecutors seeking convictions at any cost, to overworked public defenders unable to serve their clients effectively, and inexperienced defense attorneys arriving unprepared to push guilty pleas, the broken system of justice often leads to lifelong consequences, including convictions and permanent criminal records.
Challenging Injustice: Overcoming Systemic Failures with a Dedicated Defense
Zeliff | Watson envisioned a law firm dedicated to making a real impact in their community—standing up for the wrongfully accused, proving innocence, and restoring life, freedom, and dignity to those who are accused.
The Broken System of Justice Explained
Systemic imbalances often result in significant disparities in how justice is served in Georgia. Below is an overview of these challenges and why hiring a private criminal defense attorney provides your best odds of challenging the charges against you.
The Prosecutorial Imbalance
In Georgia’s criminal justice system, prosecutors often hold disproportionate power, influencing charges, plea deals, and case outcomes, which disadvantage many citizens. This imbalance can pressure individuals into accepting plea bargains without fully understanding the repercussions or without sufficient evidence being presented. As a result, many innocent people plead guilty to crimes they did not commit to avoid the risk of harsher penalties or going to trial.
Overworked Public Defenders
Public defenders work tirelessly, often behind the scenes, as the unsung heroes of the legal system. Despite their dedication, they are burdened with overwhelming caseloads due to systemic imbalances. With hundreds of cases to juggle, public defenders often lack the time and resources to thoroughly investigate and build a proper defense for each client. This shortage of attention can lead to unjust outcomes, leaving many defendants with permanent criminal records—situations that might have been avoided if their attorney had the capacity to dedicate more time and resources to their case.
Inexperienced Defense Attorneys
Many people quickly hire attorneys without conducting proper research or due diligence, only to realize too late that their attorney is unprepared and more focused on securing a quick guilty plea than providing a defense. These attorneys make empty promises, take your money, and rush you through the legal process without a solid strategy or thorough preparation. Prioritizing low fees and high case volume over quality representation, they leave many clients in dire situations. Though they may boast of their capabilities, these unethical attorneys often fail to properly investigate cases, resulting in poor outcomes and unfair guilty pleas.
When selecting a criminal defense attorney, choosing one with extensive courtroom experience—who understands the tendencies, patterns, and biases of judges and prosecutors—greatly improves the chances of a favorable outcome. A skilled private attorney not only manages smaller caseloads, offering more personalized attention, but also listens carefully, pays attention to details, and thoroughly understands the facts of the case. With more resources than public defenders or low-cost, inexperienced attorneys, they can scrutinize evidence, identify cracks in the prosecution’s case, and work to exclude evidence. These capabilities allow them to build a highly customized, effective defense strategy. Moreover, private criminal defense attorneys are driven by the need to achieve successful results to maintain their reputation, which makes them relentless in their pursuit of justice for their clients.
“Justice is only truly served by those who challenge the system and use it to their advantage to achieve the results they desire.“
– Peter Zeliff
Three Foundational Pillars
The Zeliff | Watson difference rests on three foundational pillars: protection, empowerment, and achieving the best possible outcome for each case that they defend.
Protection
Protection begins with knowing that you have enlisted the most experienced criminal defense attorney in the community to safeguard your rights and freedom at every court appearance. From your initial appearance all the way to your official court date or trial, your attorney will be by your side, ensuring that you are safe and protected.
Empowerment
Empowerment means that your defense attorneys will educate you about the law and prepare you for court. They will thoroughly explain the defense strategy they intend to use to present your side of the story and achieve the outcome that you seek. It is also important for clients to realize that they are just as powerful as the opposing side of the law and have access to the same knowledge and resources. Although it may feel intimidating to face the police officer who arrested you and the prosecutor who seeks to punish you, there are countless ways to challenge the opposing side and win.
The Best Possible Outcome
The best possible outcome means achieving a resolution that not only reduces or eliminates legal consequences but also restores your sense of control and peace of mind. It’s about finding freedom from the turbulent storm that you have endured and finding safety and refuge on the other side, preserving your future, reputation, and dignity. This outcome gives you the chance to move forward with your life, free from the weight of a criminal record or unjust repercussions.
Schedule a No Obligation Case Evaluation
If you have been arrested or are being investigated for a crime, Zeliff | Watson offers free, no-obligation case evaluations in person, online, or by phone. Confidentially discussing the circumstances of your case with their legal team is the first step in regaining control of your life and better understanding where you stand. After this legal consultation, you’ll realize there are numerous options available to you that you may have never considered, which will help you sleep better tonight.
A Simple Process to Getting Started
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation
Schedule a free, no-obligation, and confidential case consultation in person, online, or over the phone. This will help you understand how your case can be challenged, potentially leading to a reduction, dismissal, or acquittal of your charges. Click here to schedule your case evaluation.
Meet Our Defense Team and Conduct a Case Evaluation
During your free case evaluation, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, receive answers and legal guidance, and collaborate with our attorneys to better understand your side of the story, gather evidence, and devise a strategy to achieve the best possible outcome for your pending criminal charges.
Start Defending Your Case
After your free case evaluation, Zeliff & Watson will assist in preserving evidence and safeguarding your rights, ensuring your protection throughout the process. The defense team will also provide a proposed fee to represent your case, with the goal of achieving the best possible outcome.