In General

Since being admitted to the bar in 1988, David Forehand has successfully tried and argued dozens of cases before juries and judges in over ten different state and federal courts in Georgia, and has argued multiple appeals before the Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals and before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Forehand’s courtroom experience has included a variety of cases, including complex class actions, divorce and child support, business disputes, personal injury, and civil rights.  In addition, Forehand has represented indigent criminal defendants in state and federal cases and has also been honored to represent, pro bono, indigent clients in various matters.

Exemplary Case Results

Plymel v Teachers’ Retirement System Georgia
Forehand devoted many years of his practice to assisting Georgia retirees.  After being contacted by a retired educator, Forehand undertook a lengthy investigation and determined that the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia had been systematically shorting thousands of retirees and their beneficiaries on their monthly benefits for almost two decades.

Forehand filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of Fulton County entitled Plymel v. Teachers’ Retirement System Georgia.  During the lengthy course of the massive Plymel case, Forehand assembled and led an outstanding team of lawyers.  Forehand and his team won the case on behalf of over 22,000 Georgia public school educators and their retirees.  They recovered over $22,000 on average in back benefits for each class member, plus prospective monthly increases averaging over $250.00

Willis v. Employees Retirement System of Georgia and Anderson v. Public School Employees Retirement System of Georgia
In two separate class action cases called Willis and Anderson, Forehand and his team achieved similar, substantial recoveries on behalf of over 13,000 other retired public servants and their beneficiaries.  Class members included retired law enforcement officials and other public servants.

Bentley v. Employees Retirement System of Georgia
In the Bentley case, Forehand, acting as sole counsel, stopped dead in its tracks an unconstitutional scheme by state officials to deprive hundreds of disability retirees of some or all of their well-earned pensions.  In the Bentley case, Forehand prevailed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia by proving that the scheme violated due process of law.  Many of those who benefitted from the relief Forehand secured were law enforcement officers injured in the line of duty.