When someone you love is in prison, it is natural to want to do everything possible to help them come home. Families often search for ways to support parole, gather documents, or explain why their loved one deserves another chance.
In Georgia, helping someone with parole requires more than emotion and good intentions. The State Board of Pardons and Paroles makes parole decisions based on the information available for review. That means families need to understand what helps, what can hurt, and why strategic preparation matters.
Attorney Abbi S. Taylor, known as The Parole Goddess, helps families understand how to support a loved one’s parole case in a way that is organized, realistic, and focused on what the Board may need to consider.
One of the most important things families can do is understand the difference between wanting parole and being prepared for parole review.
Parole is not automatic. The Board’s motto is that it is a privilege not a right. A person may become eligible, but eligibility does not mean release will be granted. The Georgia Parole Board has complete discretion, and every case is different.
Parole is also not decided through a traditional courtroom-style hearing where family members speak directly to the Board. In Georgia, parole is a file-based review process. The Board evaluates the information in the person’s file, including, at a minimum, details about the offense, sentence, institutional record, risk factors, objections, and release readiness.
Families often wait until a Parole Eligibility Date, Tentative Parole Month, or Final Review is close before asking what they can do. By that time, important opportunities are already missed.
A parole attorney like Abbi knows that the situation needs time for review, preparation, investigation, and organization. There may be sentencing issues to understand, institutional conduct to review, program progress to consider, release planning to develop, or concerns that need to be addressed carefully.
It is helpful to contact Abbi a year or more before the PED or before a review or Final Review date to start working on information for the parole review.
I contacted Ms. Abbi Taylor's office in reference my son, he was getting close to be reviewed for Parole. Abbi and Linda along with the office staff did a outstanding job of their presentation of why my son should be granted parole and in less than 6 weeks he was home. If it had not been for Abbi Taylor's office I'm not sure the board would of seen things in our favor.
I highly recommend the office of Abbi Taylor for any parole issue that you may have.
Many Thanks to the office of Abbi Taylor and her wonderful staff.
- Alice Saylor
Many families believe they can write letters directly to the Parole Board to support their loved one. However, in Georgia, that is not how the process works.
There is no formal parole hearing where family members appear or speak, and families do not typically submit letters directly to the Board as part of the decision-making process. Instead, parole decisions are based on the official file that is considered by the Board.
This is why it is important to understand how information is properly gathered, organized, and presented within the parole process. Simply sending letters or materials without guidance may not have any effect or worse, not have a negative effect.
Family support matters. The Board may consider whether a person has support, stability, and a realistic plan after release. An emotional appeal alone is not enough. As a parole attorney, Abbi helps you directly address the concerns the Board is considering.
Families sometimes believe that more is better. They may want to gather large amounts of documents, certificates, photos, personal statements, and background information.
The problem is that unorganized information can become confusing, if anyone actually reviews it. It may repeat the same points, include details that do not help, or distract from the strongest parts of the case or be detrimental to the case for releasing their loved one.
A parole presentation is not just a pile of paperwork. It should be prepared with purpose and is very specific to the individual. The right information depends on the person’s sentence, offense, institutional history, parole timeline, objections, support system, and release plan, among many other things.
This is the reason families need an experienced parole attorney before attempting to assemble or submit information.
Some parole cases involve opposition or concerns from victims, prosecutors, judges, law enforcement, or community members. Families are sometimes surprised by this, especially when they have focused only on their loved one’s progress.
Opposition does not automatically mean parole will be denied. But it can affect how the Board reviews the case. A parole attorney knows how to anticipate and address these concerns to help balance the information being considered.
If a case may involve objections, families should avoid responding emotionally or aggressively. The better approach is to have a parole attorney address concerns thoughtfully where appropriate and focus on information that may help the Board evaluate the person’s current situation and release readiness.
Families sometimes assume the Board will automatically know every positive thing about their loved one. They know nothing and do not seek any positive information.
The Board may have access to important court records, but it does not have any detail about the person’s growth, support system, family situation, future plans, or positive changes. Helpful information needs to be gathered, reviewed, organized, and properly incorporated into the parole presentation. This is when a parole attorney is crucial. Otherwise, the incarcerated person has no voice in their parole consideration.
Families can play an important role in supporting a loved one’s parole case, but they should be careful about trying to handle everything on their own.
Abbi can help evaluate where the case stands, what the Board may be considering, what concerns may need to be addressed, and how information should be organized. Abbi will help families understand Georgia parole law, avoiding common mistakes and unrealistic expectations.
Abbi and her team work with families to prepare parole presentations that are focused, organized, and tailored to the person’s situation. Her role is to help make sure the Board receives complete, accurate, positive, and useful information before making a decision.
Families often mean well, but good intentions can still lead to mistakes. Common problems include:
Every parole case is different. What helps depends on the person, the sentence, the offense, the institutional record, the parole timeline, and the issues the Board may be reviewing.
Helping someone get parole in Georgia can feel overwhelming. Families want to do the right thing, but they may not know what information matters, when to begin, or how to avoid hurting the case.
The Law Firm of Abbi S. Taylor helps families understand how to support a loved one during the parole process. If your family is trying to help someone come home, our firm can review the situation, explain where the case may stand, and help determine what next steps may be appropriate.
Contact The Law Firm of Abbi S. Taylor to discuss how your family can support your loved one’s Georgia parole case.
If you have questions about parole or other post-conviction proceedings, we are here to help. Contact us today to schedule a case evaluation.
Over the years, we have had the honor of defending hundreds of clients in court and parole hearings. Here are just a few things they have to say about us.
Abbi is an amazing lawyer. We hired her for my dad’s parole/probation case. Abbi’s results exceeded our family’s expectations. Seeing her in action in the courtroom was inspiring. In addition, her office staff is extremely professional and responsive. Thank you, Abbi and Linda.
I originally retained Abbi to represent me before the State Board of Pardons and Parole and help me obtain an early parole date for a level 8 criminal conviction. While the Parole Board's guidelines for my crime required me to serve at least 65% of my sentence, the Parole Board granted me parole approximately 6 months early. I attribute this to the unwavering support of my family and Abbi's considerable efforts.
If I could rate Abbi Taylor@ 100 stars I would. Thank you Abbi Taylor and your staff for your professionalism, hard work and legal expertise in representing me. Your successful results with my being granted early parole was beyond all my expectations. I am thrilled and so grateful to be back home with my family and much earlier than I ever could have hoped for.
Abbi knows her stuff, is patient, thorough and compassionate. She took the time to explain the parole process in detail and provided support before, during and after the decision. I am very happy with the outcome but also the professionalism and responsiveness from Abbi and Linda. I Highly recommend this firm!
I came to Ms Taylor thinking that my criminal background was destroyed. I'm a responsible adult that made a bad decision at a very emotional time in my life. This lady has a great interaction with her clients. I was able to feel free to express what and why I needed her services. Sharp doesn't begin to describe her. I will never forget that she was sent by God to help me. You can not go wrong with Ms Taylor.
I can not speak more highly of Abbi and her abilities. I was finding myself very quickly in a quicksand situation and she was able to help come in to provide guidance, clarity and manage the situation. If you find yourself in a situation that you think even for a second might need some legal advice - please do not think to call anyone else but Abbi.
Contact our office today to begin the process of scheduling an initial case evaluation. Prior to scheduling your case evaluation, we will require the receipt of all necessary documents. Case evaluations are $250 and will be credited toward the cost of representation.
To assist us in developing the BEST strategy for your case, we need to review pertinent documents.
Our process is simple:
- You provide the necessary documents
- We evaluate the case status and strengths
- We present strategies for achieving your goals
In a 30-minute session, we provide an explanation of the relevant proceedings, help you prioritize available options, and provide a road map to move forward with our representation, including details about possible fees.
The meeting fee is non-refundable but will be credited if we are hired.
If you need assistance in gathering the necessary documents, please contact documentretrievals@gmail.com. The fees for this service are not affiliated with our representation.
This is a separate business that we use to obtain documents.
Suite 200, Kyleif Center
1479 Brockett Road
Tucker, GA 30084
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