September 30, 2008

Ragland & Jones, LLP Receives “Top Fundraiser” Award at the MADD Georgia 2008 “Walk Like MADD” Event Held September 20, 2008 at Zoo Atlanta

MADD Georgia recognized Ragland & Jones, LLP as the “Top Fundraiser” at its “Walk Like MADD” campaign held on September 20, 2008 at Zoo Atlanta. This is the second year in a row that Ragland & Jones, LLP has received the “Top Fundraiser” award at MADD Georgia’s annual walk campaign. Last year, the event was called “Strides for Change” and was held at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. In 2007, Ragland & Jones, LLP sponsored the “Strides for Change” event with a corporate donation of $2,500. In addition, Ragland & Jones, LLP raised another $6,000 in contributions from other trial lawyers. This year, Ragland & Jones, LLP sponsored the “Walk Like MADD” campaign with a corporate contribution of $5,000. In connection with the 2008 "Walk Like MADD" campaign, the Ragland & Jones, LLP team exceeded its pre-walk goal and raised nearly $7,000 from other attorneys and law firms throughout Georgia. The firm was also a corporate sponsor of the “Strides for Change” walk in 2006.

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On behalf of Ragland & Jones, LLP, Daniel Ragland (right) accepts the "Top Fundraiser" Award from MADD National President, Laura Dean-Mooney (left)

During the three years (2006-2008) that Ragland & Jones, LLP has sponsored and participated in the annual fundraising walks held by MADD Georgia, the firm has contributed and raised over $22,000 in funds to support MADD Georgia. The stated mission of MADD is to “stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.” Ragland & Jones, LLP is dedicated to safety advocacy, and is particularly dedicated to supporting MADD Georgia.

Ragland & Jones, LLP agrees with MADD that drunk driving is a serious criminal offense which imperils millions of innocent motorists and pedestrians every day. The devastating human consequences of drunk driving cannot be overstated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has indicated that in 2007, there were 12,998 people killed in “alcohol-impaired crashes.” There were 13,491 fatalities in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2006. NHTSA defines an “alcohol-impaired crash” to be one where at least one driver of the automobile or motorcycle had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. In 2007, there were 441 deaths due to alcohol impaired crashes in Georgia alone. NHTSA has estimated that in 2006, 35% of all traffic deaths occurred in crashes in which one driver had a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher, and that some alcohol was present in 41% of all fatal crashes.

Ragland & Jones, LLP recognizes the magnitude of the drunk driving problem and the untolled human devastation which impaired driving leaves in its path. That is why Ragland & Jones, LLP believes in the mission of MADD and is firmly committed to the continued support of that organization and its cause.

Ragland & Jones, LLP is an Atlanta law firm made up of trial attorneys focused on severe injury and wrongful death litigation. In particular, attorney Daniel Ragland has considerable experience representing victims of drunk driving, and has handled many civil claims and lawsuits against drunk drivers. He also has extensive experience with dram shop lawsuits against businesses which unlawfully sold alcohol to an underage driver or negligently continued to sell alcohol to "noticeably intoxicated" adults.

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January 14, 2008

Attorneys at Ragland & Jones, LLP Will Serve as Coaches for High School Mock Trial Teams in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

The Georgia Mock Trial Competition helps high school students gain an understanding of the legal system by providing opportunities for teams of high school students to compete in “mock trials” where the participating students assume the roles of lawyers and witnesses in a hypothetical court case. The Georgia Mock Trial Competition is sponsored and conducted by the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) of the State Bar of Georgia. Daniel A. Ragland will again serve as one of the volunteer attorney coaches for the Mock Trial team from the Wesleyan School located in Norcross, Gwinnett County, Georgia.mock%20trial%20logo.gifMr. Ragland also coached the Wesleyan School Mock Trial Team in 2004 and 2005. Evan W. Jones will serve as one of the volunteer lawyer coaches for the Mock Trial Team at Northview High School in Duluth, Gwinnett County, Georgia. Each of these teams will compete at the Regional Competition to be held on February 22-23, 2008 at the Gwinnett County Courthouse in Lawrenceville, GA. This year, the Georgia Mock Trial Competition will concern a criminal case about a high school senior who allegedly sold drugs to an undercover police officer. The fictional defendant claims entrapment as his primary defense. The Georgia Mock Trial Competition is designed to help participating students improve their proficiency in such basic skills as listening, speaking, reading, and reasoning. Mock trials help students gain a basic understanding of the legal process through which our society chooses to resolve many of its disputes. And, while obtaining this knowledge, high school students develop useful questioning, critical thinking, and oral advocacy skills, as well as significant insight into the area of law in question.

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