What We Do
For more than 20 years, the Cobb Law Group has excelled in its statewide practice in Georgia construction law with an emphasis on filing materialmen’s liens, mechanic’s liens, and construction liens as well as enforcing payment bond claim rights, Miller Act and Little Miller Act litigation, business & corporate law and commercial collections for the construction industry. We represent numerous businesses, material suppliers, specialty subcontractors, general contractors, and others in the field throughout Georgia.
We are not general practitioners; instead, we focus our practice towards those in the construction industry. Our firm represents clients in all Georgia state and federal courts in the preparation and filing of mechanics’ liens; perfecting, enforcing and foreclosing upon materialmen’s liens; making claims against payment & surety bonds, and all aspects of construction litigation related to materialmen’s liens and payment bond enforcement.
DeKalb County Construction Lawyer
Decatur is the county seat of DeKalb County and is a suburb of Atlanta with a population of 20,148 that features three MARTA rail stations.
Decatur was originally established by being the intersection of the Sandtown and Shallowford Native American trails, and when the city was incorporated in 1823 it was named after Stephen Decatur, who was a Commodore in the United States Navy.
During the Civil War, and in particular the Battle of Atlanta, Decatur was a strategic city for both the Union and the Confederates. There was a historic battle on July 22nd 1864 that is still commemorated today through a historical marker at the old courthouse in Decatur.
In more recent years, Decatur has been a part of Atlanta’s vast expansion towards the city’s surrounding suburbs. With relatively easy public transportation into Atlanta, Decatur has become an up-and-coming development that has still been able to maintain it’s small town ambience even though it’s a part of the Atlanta Metro Area.
Demographics
Decatur is a rather small city of about 4.2 square miles, and within the city limits there is a population density of about 4,603 people per square mile. It is a predominately white city with about 73.5% of the population being white, 20.2% African American, 2.9% Asian and 3.2% Latino, amongst other tiny ethnic percentages.
Over 68% of the households in Decatur belong to married couples with or without children under the age of 18 years old living with them, and the average family size for the city is 2.96.
In terms of age, the city of Decatur is evenly dispersed with a median age of 38 years. There is a significantly larger number of women than men in Decatur as compared to neighboring suburbs with roughly 44 males to every 56 females. Decatur also has one of the highest percentages of same sex couple households in Georgia equating to over 9.2% of the city’s households.
Decatur is also a very wealthy city as compared to other U.S. cities of equal size with the median income per household being just about $73,602. The per capita yearly income in Decatur is $42,926.
Decatur is also a very smart city with over 56% of the residents having a bachelor’s degree or higher and 27% with a graduate degree or higher. The Decatur City School District consists of five elementary, one middle and one high school. There are also several universities in the Decatur area, including Agnes Scott College, Columbia Theological Seminary, Emory University, Georgia State Universities Perimeter College and Devry University.
Popular Places
Decatur is a fun town for the whole family, and depending on whether you are looking to get out in nature or experience the bustling commerce of the city there is something for everyone here.
One of the most popular things to do in the city is to experience the Your DeKalb Farmers Market where farmers from all over the region sell their organic produce, but this is nothing like your typical farmer’s market. This is a gigantic, Costco sized building that is so large and so intricate that it’s easy to get lost in, and the food is phenomenal!
Decatur’s Square is also a really exciting public landmark in downtown that is great for a nice walk while admiring world-class sculptures and artworks of all types. It’s here that the residents of Decatur get out and have some fun in the sun year round!
As mentioned earlier, the Decatur Historic Courthouse is a landmark that is worth seeing because it not only is a magnificent building but it also provides really great historical information about the city and its involvement during the Civil War.
The Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve is a really exciting place for people to get connected with nature, and although the nature preserve is within the Atlanta Metro Area you will not believe how off the beaten path this preserve is, and it’s definitely worth checking out for all biking and hiking enthusiasts.
Arts & Festivals
Decatur’s festival and art scene is part of what makes the city such a thriving community, and through the Decatur Arts Alliance putting on yearly festivals like the Decatur Arts Festival, YEA (young emerging artists) productions, gallery installations throughout the city and arts education projects there has never been a better time to be an art enthusiast in Decatur.
One of the more prominent local venues for live music is Eddie’s Attic, which provides great concerts on a nightly basis.
Decatur has become known for its festivals in recent years, and some of the more exciting yearly festivals include the Decatur Arts Festival, Decatur Beach Party, Decatur BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival, The Decatur Book Festival, The Maker Faire and the Decatur Beer and Wine Festival. On top of these yearly events there are also wine crawls, races, parades and public concerts in Decatur’s Square on a regular basis.
Food & Leisure
Decatur is known for its incredible restaurants and bars, and in 2012 it was named one of the American South’s Tastiest Towns.
Some of the best restaurants in Decatur include the Kimball House, Parker’s on Ponce, Cakes and Ale Restaurant and Bar and Babette’s Café.
For more affordable, yet still extremely tasty restaurants in Decatur we recommend Community Q BBQ, The Iberian Pig, The Brick Store Pub, Chai Pani and Sweet Melissa’s.
When it comes to the nightlife in Decatur there are an endless amount of options, but the following are considered some of the best bars in Decatur: The Brick Store Pub, The SOS Tiki Bar, Leon’s Full Service, Thinking Man Tavern, Trackside Tavern and Steinbeck’s Ale House.
Government
Decatur uses a Commission-Manager style of local government, and the City Commission consists of five people who are elected to four-year terms. The current mayor is Patti Garrett.
The DeKalb County Courthouse is located in Decatur at 556 N McDonough St., and the Decatur City Hall is located at 509 N McDonough Street. These two buildings serve as the focal point of the DeKalb County judicial system.
For more information about upcoming and current events in Decatur, check out The Champion.
Contact an Experienced DeKalb County Construction Lawyer
The Cobb Law Group’s DeKalb County construction lawyers have handled numerous construction litigation cases and lien foreclosure action throughout Georgia for over 20 years. We have a full slate of clients based out of Decatur or DeKalb County. In addition, we have have prosecuted more materialmen’s lien claims and Little Miller Act claims in DeKalb County than we can court. We represent every tier of construction professional including owners, general contractors, specialty-trade subcontractors and material suppliers throughout the State of Georgia.
Unlike other firms, we are not general practice lawyers; instead, we are Georgia construction lawyers using our multiple offices and modern technology to bring quality legal representation to every county in Georgia. We are a leading construction firm serving the contraction contracting needs, litigation and payment remedy needs of construction professionals. Our clients rely on our experience and professionalism for all of their construction law needs including the following:
- construction contract drafting, negotiating and review
- Georgia’s construction notice scheme (Notices of Commencement, Notices to Contractors/Owners)
- Bid Protests
- Georgia lien waiver law (including Affidavits of Nonpayment)
- contract enforcement (breach or default)
- 72 hour notices
- claims of liens (including the preparation, filing, enforcement, and foreclosure suits)
- Miller Act and Little Miller Act claims and litigation
- surety law
- Georgia preliminary liens
- Georgia Prompt Payment Act claims
- Contractor and Subcontractor Licensing Issues
- construction mediation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution
- other pertinent needs of Georgia’s construction professionals
Georgia Construction Lawyer Mark Cobb started the firm in Atlanta in 1992 on the principle that construction professionals deserved to have responsive, knowledgeable attorneys meeting their legal needs efficiently and cost-effectively. Since that time, our firm has grown but our values have not. We apply our same diligent work ethic to our large, national suppliers and to mom-and-pop special trade subcontractors. If you have a project going on in Decatur, DeKalb County or anywhere in Georgia, please contact us today.