April 2026

Dear Georgia Courts Journal readers,

The Judicial Council of Georgia met for a General Session on Friday, April 17th.  During the meeting, Chief Court Judge Frank O’Connell—who began his service as the inaugural judge of the new Georgia Tax Court on April 1st—was sworn in by Chief Justice Nels Peterson as a new member of the Judicial Council.  We enjoyed drafting an article on the creation of the Georgia Tax Court, and we look forward to sharing an interview with Chief Court Judge O’Connell in May. The Judicial Council Standing Committee on Judicial Security also met in mid-April. During the General Session, Justice Shawn Ellen LaGrua encouraged all judges to utilize the new tools developed to improve judicial security, noting that a security measure, “does you no good, if you don’t use it.” The Board of Court Reporting convened this month as well. In addition, the Judicial Council Ad Hoc Committee on the Georgia Courts Case Management System met, and the Standing Committee on Court Interpreters hosted a two-day, in‑person orientation in mid-April.

Chief Court Judge Frank O’Connell is sworn in as a new member of the Judicial Council of Georgia by Chief Justice Peterson.
Judge Rob Leonard chairs a recent meeting of the Judicial Council Ad Hoc Committee on the Georgia Courts Case Management System.

Co-hosted by the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism, in partnership with the Georgia Legal History Foundation, the 2026 Annual Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service were presented at a ceremony on April 14th at the Nathan Deal Judicial Center. Congratulations to Senior Judge Willie Lockette and the late Sonny Seiler, former member of the Judicial Council of Georgia, who were two of this year’s seven honorees. The late Chief Justice P. Harris Hines was honored this month during a portrait presentation and the dedication of the Cobb County Law Library on April 29th that also recognized Judge G. Conley Ingram. The Supreme Court of Georgia Committee on Justice for Children met on April 13th and discussed several ongoing initiatives, including plans for this year’s Hines Awards—also named in honor of the late Chief Justice—which will be presented during the State Bar of Georgia Annual Meeting in June.

Left: Chief Justice Peterson (top, second from left), Karlise Grier (top right), Justice Robert Benham (Ret.) and Mrs. Benham (bottom, second and third from left) joined by this year’s seven honorees. Right: Chief Justice Peterson delivers opening remarks at the 26th Annual Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service.
Left: Senior Judge Willie Lockette receives a 2026 Benham Award. Middle: Karlise Yvette Grier, Executive Director of the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism, is presented with flowers in appreciation of her tireless efforts in bringing the Benham Awards to life. Right: A daughter of the late Sonny Seiler accepts an award on his behalf.
Chief Judge Ann B. Harris and Chief Justice Peterson were among the speakers at the Portrait Unveiling and Law Library Dedication in Cobb County.

Congratulations to Chief Judge Edward D. Lukemire, who retired from the Superior Court for the Houston Judicial Circuit on April 1st after nearly thirty years on the bench. Kudos as well to Justice Carla Wong McMillian, who received the Distinguished Service Scroll Award from the University of Georgia School of Law. We also mourn the passing of Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Deborah Fluker, remembered for her “unwavering integrity” and for her steadfast support of the Judicial Council’s many community outreach initiatives over the years.

Left: Justice Carla Wong McMillian, second from left, receives the Distinguished Service Scroll Award from the University of Georgia School of Law this month. Right: The late Judge Deborah Fluker (left) featured in the Georgia Courts Journal in 2022 for her participation in Gwinnett County’s inaugural celebration of National Adoption Month.

The Council of Accountability Court Judges recently shared a helpful new resource developed by its technical assistance provider, All Rise—How to Address Substance Use From the Bench: A Criminal Docket Bench Card—designed specifically for judges who do not preside over treatment courts. On April 15th, the Conasauga Judicial Circuit’s Domestic Violence Court partnered with the local Health Department to present at the Whitfield County Senior Center, offering valuable insights and resources to help seniors stay safe and healthy. Project team members for the Georgia Courts Case Management System continue to make strong progress as they manage four major workstreams simultaneously: (1) system enhancements, (2) data migration for participating courts, (3) training and implementation for participating courts and super-users, and (4) user sessions held across the state. The AOC Child Support Team, which staffs the Georgia Child Support Commission, is also hard at work on the 2026 Economic Study and recently traveled to Twiggs County—the Geographic Center of Georgia—to collect data for inclusion in the study. The National Center for State Courts invited Judicial Council/AOC Research Analyst II, Mitchell Redd, to participate in its Data Literacy Data Dives Webinar on April 14th. Alongside panelists from other states, Mitchell shared insights with a national audience of 500 attendees on the importance of a data‑literate workforce and how data visualization can drive understanding and improve performance.

Left: Conasauga Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence Court Coordinator Amanda Barnett, Conasauga Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence Treatment Provider Arlena Freeman, and Health Department Epidemiologist Bridget Walsh. Right: Project team members on a site visit at the Athens-Clarke County Probate Court to demo new statewide CMS to Judge Schaffer and Judge Huff. 
Mitchell Redd, right and second from top, a panelist at a recent NCSC webinar, presents on data dives.

Call on us anytime.  Talk to you in May.

Your JC/AOC Courts Journal team:  Noelle Lagueux-Alvarez, Bruce Shaw, and JoAnna Deering