Experienced North Georgia Law Firm
J.L. Weaver Law is a North Georgia law firm in Jasper, Georgia. Our Pickens County attorneys specialize in matters of criminal defense, DUI, personal injury, and family law. Our experienced lawyers are skilled at cases requiring litigation, mediation, negotiation, trial representation and appeals and they are prepared to go the extra mile for your case.
Contact our Jasper attorneys for help with your legal issues
Our lawyers are Jasper natives with deep roots in the communities we serve including Jasper, Ball Ground, Canton, Dawsonville, Ellijay, Blue Ridge and the surrounding cities and towns of North Georgia’s Pickens, Cherokee, Dawson, Gilmer and Fannin counties. Our lawyers have tried cases for both the prosecution and the defense and work tirelessly to bring our community the high level representation without you having to travel to Atlanta or hire a high priced Atlanta law firm.
Meet Our Team
PRACTICE AREAS
- Criminal Defense
- DUI
- Family Law
- Personal Injury
EDUCATION
- J.D., University of Georgia
- B.A., cum laude, Berry College
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- State Bar of Georgia
- Appalachian Bar Association (VP)
- Development Authority of
Pickens County (board member)
- Pickens County Chamber of
Commerce (board member)
- Rotary Club of Jasper
John Luke Weaver
John Luke was born and raised in Jasper, Georgia. His roots run deep in the North Georgia Mountains – his family has lived in the area since the 1840s. After graduating from Pickens County High School, he attended Berry College where he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Government. While at Berry he was the President of his graduating class, advisor to the Dean, and recipient of the Voice of Berry Award, which goes to the student who best advocates for student interests.
While attending law school at The University of Georgia, John Luke was on the Executive Board of the Mock Trial Team and served as the Closing Argument Coordinator. He also founded and served as President of the Rural Law Society, a group dedicated to bringing quality legal representation to rural Georgia. He also took part in the Law School’s Prosecution Clinic Program where he worked at the Cobb County Solicitor's office prosecuting DUIs and other misdemeanors. John Luke furthered his clinical experience prosecuting felonies at the Athens-Clarke County District Attorney's Office. In both Athens and Cobb he prosecuted cases to jury verdict, being the first person in his graduating class to go in front of a jury.
In other work experience, John Luke has coordinated various political campaigns, including the get-out-the vote effort for a 2008 presidential campaign in Arkansas. He has worked internationally interning for the Irish Government in Dublin, Ireland. Locally, John Luke worked many years for his grandfather as an installer at Denson Heating and Air. He also called basketball games for the Pickens Dragons on WYYZ radio in Jasper.
He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Appalachian Bar Association, and as a board member of the Development Authority of Pickens County as well as the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of work, John Luke enjoys fishing, working in his yard, traveling, golf, rooting for the Georgia Bulldogs, collecting vinyl records, and spending time with his children. He attends First Baptist Church of Jasper, and is active in various community groups across North Georgia.
PRACTICE AREAS
- Criminal Defense
- DUI
- Criminal Appeals
- Family Law
EDUCATION
- J.D., Thomas M. Cooley
- B.S., Kennesaw State University
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Michael A. Ray
Michael was born and raised in Jasper, Georgia and graduated from Pickens County High School in 1999. He attended Kennesaw State University where he was a member of the Mock Trial Team, and during his senior year, was named team captain. During his time competing in mock trials, he saw several regional and national competitions and victories. During the Des Moines, Iowa American Mock Trial Association National Championship, Michael was named All-American out of thousands of other students.
After earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, Michael enrolled in the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. During law school, he was on the student advisory council for Moot Court and Mock Trial. Michael received certificates of merit in Trial Skills and Forensic Evidence in Criminal Cases. He was also the mock trial coach for the Hazel Park mock trial team and author of the Thomas M. Cooley moot court problem in 2007.
After Law School, Michael was hired as the staff attorney for the Honorable Amanda H. Mercier and Roger E. Bradley, Superior Court Judges, in the Appalachian Judicial Circuit comprised of Pickens, Gilmer, and Fannin counties. In 2013, he joined the Appalachian Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, and in 2014 became Chief Assistant District Attorney.
Michael’s primary practice is criminal defense, focusing on larger complex criminal cases and criminal jury trials. He has tried all manner of cases as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney, including murder, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, sexual assaults, marijuana grow operations, trafficking narcotics, driving under the influence, domestic violence, and many others. In addition, he handles criminal appeals and has argued before both the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court.
Michael lives in Jasper with his wife Lindsey and their labradoodle, Sydney.
Adrienne Malone
Adrienne is the firm’s senior paralegal and personal injury case manager for John Luke Weaver. She joined J.L. Weaver Law Firm in 2014 and received her Paralegal Certificate in 2017 from Kennesaw State University.
Adrienne is hands-on from start-to-finish of every matter, working directly with each client to help them feel comfortable throughout the process of resolving their individual case. She has always had a love for the justice system, and her attention for detail, analytic skills, and the ability to multitask different aspects of the law practice, have earned her success as a criminal defense paralegal.
When she is not at the office, she loves spending time with her husband and their two children, and loves a good antique.
Nicole Nichelson
Nicole is the firm’s Administrative Assistant and Legal Assistant to Michael A. Ray. She is responsible for managing all firm files, the preparation of documents, gathering evidence, and providing superior customer service.
Prior to joining the J.L. Weaver Law Firm team in 2022, Nicole received her Dental Assisting Certification in 2015 from Dental Careers Institute and was a dental assistant for seven years. She has always had an interest for the criminal justice system and has been an exceptional addition to the team.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children.