ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Superior Court of Douglas County has granted U.S. Army veteran Godfrey Wade's petition for a writ of habeas corpus, setting aside a misdemeanor conviction that became the basis for immigration proceedings leading to his deportation.

The conviction stemmed from a check Wade wrote to the Douglas County tag office nearly two decades ago to renew his vehicle registration. That check was returned for insufficient funds.

 He entered a plea to close it, paid the fine that was due, paid back the check in full, and thought he had put that matter behind,  said his attorney Tony Kozycki, a Democrat who is running for Georgia's 7th Congressional District against Incumbent Republican Rich McCormick.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Georgia Army veteran deported to Jamaica after ICE detention

Wade's habeas petition raised questions about whether the plea to close the case was entered knowingly and voluntarily, including his understanding of its nature and consequences.

Years later, that misdemeanor case led to the initiation of immigration proceedings against Wade, who arrived from Jamaica as a child in the 1970s, became a lawful permanent resident, and lived in the United States for more than 50 years.

Wade served four years on active duty in the U.S. Army in the 1980s, including about three years overseas in Germany during the Cold War with the 7th Infantry Division, and later raised a family in Georgia and worked in food services, including jobs at H F Burgers at The Battery in Atlanta and at the Georgia State Capitol.

Wade maintains he never received notice that removal proceedings had begun. The government's immigration file lists his address on the Notice to Appear as the immigration court at 180 Spring Street SW in Atlanta. The document initially marked hand delivery, but that marking was crossed out and replaced with service by regular mail. The file also contains multiple returned envelopes showing that mail about the proceedings was undeliverable.

Wade was ordered to be deported in 2014 after missing a hearing he says he did not know about, and he did not lea

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