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The Ultimate Goal for Every Client He Defends: No Conviction. No Permanent Criminal Record.
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28+ Years of Criminal Defense Experience
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Over 6,000 Criminal and DUI Cases Handled
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250+ Jury and Bench Trials
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Proven Track Record of Dismissals, Acquittals, and Reduced Charges
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Awarded Super Lawyers Honors for His Work in Criminal and DUI Defense
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Has the Same Forensic Training Used by Law Enforcement and Forensic Laboratories to Challenge Evidence
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Trusted to Defend High-Profile, High-Stakes Criminal Cases, With Media Coverage by ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Highly Rated by His Clients and Fellow Attorneys
Decades of Experience Defending Criminal and DUI Cases
For more than 28 years, Peter Zeliff has devoted his career exclusively to defending people accused of crimes in Georgia. Since beginning his legal career in 1998, he has handled more than 6,000 criminal and DUI cases and tried more than 250 cases before juries, bringing decades of experience and preparation to every case with one goal: achieving the best possible outcome for each and every client he defends.
“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
The Foremost Authority in Criminal and DUI Defense
Peter is regarded as the foremost authority in criminal and DUI defense, with a track record built on preparation, independent investigation, advanced forensic training, and extensive courtroom experience. The majority of the cases he has handled have resulted in dismissals, acquittals at trial, or reduced charges that avoided a conviction or permanent criminal record.
Decades in the courtroom have exposed Peter to virtually every type of evidence, witness, police investigation, prosecution strategy, and courtroom situation that can arise in a criminal or DUI case. He draws on that experience to identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, challenge evidence, and build defenses tailored to the specific facts of each case.
A Career Defined by Advocacy and Results
Media and News
Peter’s work has attracted attention beyond the courtroom. He has been written about in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and featured by ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS in connection with high-profile, high-stakes criminal cases.
A Career Built on Challenging the System
Peter began his career in the Public Defender’s Office, where he saw firsthand the imbalance of power that can exist within Georgia’s criminal justice system.
Prosecutors had enormous resources and the power of the government behind them. At the same time, overwhelmed public defenders often carried caseloads that made it difficult to devote the time and resources necessary to independently investigate every case.
Peter saw how devastating that imbalance could be.
People who had been overcharged, wrongfully accused, or maintained their innocence could find themselves pressured to accept guilty pleas rather than risk the consequences of fighting the government. A single decision could leave someone with a criminal conviction and permanent record that followed them for the rest of their life.
That experience shaped the attorney Peter became.
He built his practice around giving people accused of crimes the investigation, preparation, resources, and aggressive defense necessary to challenge the government’s case and protect their freedom, reputation, and future.
Preparation, Recognition, and Advanced Defense Training
Preparation and Independent Investigations
Peter believes criminal cases are often won long before an attorney enters the courtroom.
His approach begins with knowing the case better than the prosecution and the arresting officer and knowing his client better than anyone else in the courtroom.
That means examining every piece of evidence, interviewing witnesses, identifying inconsistencies, challenging assumptions, and looking for weaknesses that may have been overlooked during the government’s investigation.
Rather than simply relying on the evidence provided by prosecutors and law enforcement, Peter conducts independent investigations because seemingly insignificant details can change the direction of a case.
Those details can reveal contradictions, undermine witnesses, expose weaknesses in the prosecution’s theory, and create reasonable doubt.
For Peter, preparation creates leverage and a better chance of a favorable outcome.
Professional Recognition
Peter has been selected to Super Lawyers each year from 2019 through 2027.
Advanced Forensic Training
Peter has received advanced forensic training similar to training received by law enforcement. This training allows him to more closely examine and challenge the scientific and technical evidence used by the government in criminal and DUI cases.
Client Trust and Professional Leadership
Client Reviews
The vast majority of Peter’s client reviews are five-star reviews, reflecting the experiences of people he has represented in criminal and DUI cases throughout Georgia.
Speaking Engagements
Peter has been invited to teach other attorneys about DUI defense, trial preparation, evidence, and ethics. His speaking engagements have included:
- Georgia Defense of Drinking Drivers: Using the “New” Rules of Evidence in DUI Cases
- DUI Boot Camp: Choosing Between Bench Trial vs. Jury Trials and DUI Trial Preparation
- GACDL Spring Seminar: Ethics
- Georgia Indigent Defense Council’s DUI Bootcamp
Example Case Wins
DUI Jury Trial — Not Guilty
A single mother of three was facing DUI charges and the possibility of going to jail. The State presented witnesses against her at trial, but Peter used his DUI knowledge and aggressive cross-examination to expose weaknesses in the State’s case.
The Cobb County jury found her not guilty.
Sexual Battery — Not Guilty
A pediatrician faced sexual battery charges after multiple women accused him of inappropriate touching, attracting significant media attention. Nine women testified against him at trial.
Peter challenged the credibility of the allegations, exposed inconsistencies surrounding how and when the accusations were reported, and presented witnesses who said they had never seen inappropriate behavior.
After less than an hour of deliberation, the DeKalb County jury found his client not guilty on both charges.
Three Serious Criminal Charges — All Dismissed
A client was facing three serious criminal charges carrying the possibility of significant jail time and life-changing consequences. Believing he had been wrongfully arrested, he turned to Peter for help.
Peter relentlessly pursued the facts, carefully examined the evidence, and uncovered critical errors in the State’s case.
Ultimately, all three charges brought against the client were dismissed.
Professional Memberships
Peter’s professional memberships include:
- Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Forsyth County Bar Association
- State Bar of Georgia
Education
Georgia State University College of Law
Juris Doctor
University of Georgia, Athens
Bachelor of Arts
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.