Attorney Lauren Deal graduated from the University of Georgia Law School and her practice areas are family law, including divorce, child custody, legitimation, and support, and criminal law, including felony defense, drug offenses, traffic offenses and civil asset forfeiture defense, and juvenile law, including delinquency defense and private deprivation actions.
For more than eight years, Lauren served as an assistant district attorney for the Towaliga Judicial Circuit in Forsyth, Monroe County, Georgia. There, she handled approximately 300 cases per year ranging from DUI and drug violations to theft, burglary, armed robbery and murder. She also represented the District Attorney at monthly Multi-Departmental Team (MDT) meetings, working collaboratively with representatives from public education, law enforcement, mental health, and the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) to monitor and support children deemed “at-risk” based on their contact with the represented agencies. She also served on the Child Fatality Review Board for Monroe County and worked as a juvenile prosecutor in Butts County, Georgia.
As an ADA, Lauren was also responsible for filing civil asset forfeiture proceedings. She is a strong advocate for civil asset forfeiture reform and will aggressively defend your property.
Prior to becoming a successful attorney, Lauren began her career as an educator, teaching English to 9th and 10th grade students at Jefferson County High School in Louisville, Georgia. There, she was a well-respected teacher and was nominated for teacher of the year. Her move into law was prompted by her frustration in dealing with the public school system and her desire to make a positive difference, particularly in the lives of children and families.
In addition to local law enforcement agencies, Lauren has worked with the following agencies:
- Georgia Bureau of Investigation, including the medical examiner’s office, firearms analysis experts, crime scene analysis experts, drug analysis experts, fingerprint analysis experts, and blood toxicology experts;
- Georgia Department of Revenue, including income tax fraud investigators and motor vehicle licensing;
- Department of Family and Children’s Services, including DFCS investigators and DFCS case managers;
- United States Secret Service counterfeit investigators;
- Law enforcement forensic interviewers for child victims, including experts trained in Finding Words and the CornerHouse Forensic Interview Protocol;
- Computer Forensic Analysis Experts, including Celebrite cell phone data downloading;
- Automobile/Heavy Equipment insurance company investigators, including Farmers Insurance heavy equipment theft investigators;
- Georgia Department of Health and Human Services, who evaluate individuals for mental competency after they have been accused of committing a crime, and
- Various County Boards of Education representatives, including school attendance council, school counseling staff, and administration.
As a private practitioner, Lauren has represented clients in contested and uncontested legal matters across a broad spectrum of criminal and family law cases in 50 counties across the state of Georgia, including representation of multiple clients from other states facing civil or criminal actions here. She represents fathers and mothers, grandparents, stepparents, and other family members in custody, visitation, guardianship, adoption, and other cases. Lauren has successfully faced some of Middle Georgia’s toughest attorneys, in the courtroom and in negotiations; although she resists the term “bulldog,” she is never afraid to fight for her clients, their families, and their rights.
In her child custody cases, she has worked with Middle Georgia’s best mediators, guardians ad litem, mental health and addiction counseling providers, and parental fitness evaluators. Although she is not currently working as a guardian ad litem, she has received continuing education in this field to help better advocate for her clients and their children.
Lauren’s passion for the law and justice make her a tireless advocate for your rights. Whatever your problem, don’t go it alone, call (478) 254-9154 today and set up an appointment.