Attorney Robert Christian Rutledge is a seasoned practitioner. He brings years of courtroom experience to Cromartie Law to help people who have been seriously injured. Mr. Rutledge and his extended family have lived in Rome and northwest Georgia for decades.
Prior to joining Cromartie Law, Mr. Rutledge was a solo practitioner in Rome. From January of 2017 to August of 2019, he handled a variety of cases including a murder case, serious sex-crime cases, a state RICO case, DUIs, and several other criminal and civil matters. From February of 2006 to January of 2017, Mr. Rutledge practiced indigent defense at the Rome Circuit Public Defender. He also practiced at the Legal Aid and Defender Clinic at the University of Georgia for two semesters in 2004 under Georgia’s Third Year Practice Act, and assisted attorneys there in 2003.
Mr. Rutledge has tried dozens of cases ranging from municipal ordinance violations to murder trials. Throughout his career, Mr. Rutledge has gained extensive experience in pretrial investigation and trial preparation. He has dealt with experts in forensic pathology, forensic psychology, and eyewitness testimony. He has also litigated a variety of issues such as motions to suppress, immunity from prosecution, incompetence to stand trial, the insanity defense, double jeopardy, and a writ of prohibition against a lower court.
Further, Mr. Rutledge has appealed cases to the Court of Appeals of Georgia and obtained reversals on several of them. He made oral argument before the Supreme Court of Georgia in a non-capital murder appeal. He has also filed petitions for certiorari in the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Areas Of Practice
- Car Accidents/Collisions
- Personal Injury
- Workers' Compensation
Bar Admissions
- Georgia, 2005
- Georgia Court of Appeals, 2006
- Supreme Court of Georgia, 2006
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 2017
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2013
Professional Associations
- Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- American Canoe Association
Education
- University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia
- Juris Doctor - 2005
- University of Georgia
- M.A. - 2006
- Major: Latin
- Georgia State University
- B.A. - 1995
- Major: Philosophy
- Minor: English
Past Positions
- Rome Circuit Public Defender, Assistant Public Defender, 2006 to 2017
- Forsyth County Schools, Latin Teacher, 1998 to 2002
Published Works
- Legislature Deceives Public by Shifting Money Raised for Specific Purposes, DAILY REPORT, January 25, 2016
- Senate Bill Would Weaken Link between Constitutional Rights and Trial Court, DAILY REPORT, March 25, 2015
- Robert Christian Rutledge, Letter, Theft by Conversion, Theft by Deception,, DAILY REPORT, Mar. 5, 2010
- State Takes Defense Funds for Poor, ATLANTA J.-CONST., Dec. 16, 2008, at A10., 2008
- Vigilant or Vigilante? Procedure and Rationale for Immunity , O.C.G.A. §§ 16-3-23, -24, -24.1, & -24.2, 59 MERCER L. REV. 629 (2008) (cited by Georgia Supreme Court in Fair v. State, 288 Ga. 244, 258, 702 S.E.2d 420, 432 (2010), and by Robert E. Cleary, Jr., Molnar Georgia Criminal Law: Crimes and Punishments, section 4-7 (2013-14 ed.)).
Representative Cases
- Causey v. State, 334 Ga. App. 170, 778 S.E.2d 800 (2015) (reversing denial of motion to
- Haymer v. State, 323 Ga. App. 874, 747 S.E.2d 512 (2013) (reversing voluntary manslaughter
- Harrell v. State, 321 Ga. App. 707, 742 S.E.2d 521 (2013) (reversing armed robbery conviction
- Moon v. Richardson, 09CV03952-JFL004 (Floyd Co., Ga. 2010) (superior court issuing writ of
- Parker v. State, 297 Ga. App. 384, 677 S.E.2d 345 (2009) (reversing burglary and trespass