A newsletter for Georgia’s judges highlighting the judicial branch across the state – both on and off the bench.
In honor of Black History Month in 2021, we asked several African American judges in Georgia who mentored, inspired, and helped them along the way. This February, we celebrate the people who helped lift others into judicial leadership roles. Each weekday we will post a new response on our social media pages; Twitter, Facebook, and … Continue reading Celebrating Black History Month 2021
Contributed by Laverne Lewis Gaskins, Esq. Because human beings escape perfection, mistakes in judgement are expected. However, in the context of the criminal justice system, mistakes of judgment occupy a different, more serious space. Because we live in a society of laws, people should be held accountable for their behavior. We accept and understand that … Continue reading On Record Restriction Clinics and Providing Opportunity
Greetings judges, as we close out the year we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the all-important case count reporting period, where the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) asks the clerks of your respective court classes to submit caseload data for the previous year. Below is the Best Practices for Caseload … Continue reading Upcoming Caseload Reporting and Bench Card
In early December, we stopped by the Cherokee County Justice Center on a cold and rainy day to see a “Parking Deck Court” in action. As expected, it’s an efficient operation that is tackling the non-jury case backlog while protecting the public that passes through it. Upon arrival, parties in a case call a number … Continue reading Parking Deck Court in Cherokee County
Stephanie Hines, JC/AOC Judicial Services Division Director Condensed and edited for clarity Michelle Barclay: Congratulations, Stephanie, on your new job! Please tell our readers why you applied for the position of Judicial Services Division Director at the Judicial Council/AOC. People may not know that the Judicial Services Division includes: the Office of Research and … Continue reading Let’s Re-Introduce Stephanie Hines, JC/AOC’s New Judicial Services Division Director
Gratitude is the essence of the Thanksgiving holiday. After reading a Harvard Medical School study about gratitude and its positive effects, Michelle Barclay asked several judges who are members of the State Bar of Georgia’s SOLACE Committee and the State Bar's Wellness Committee about what they were grateful for in this daunting year. We hope … Continue reading Gratitude
By Chief Judge Christopher C. Edwards and Taylor Wood Most courts and lawyers are familiar with more than one frequent frivolous self-represented plaintiff. These self-represented litigants file the bizarre complaints that are shared among lawyers as dark entertainment, resulting in hearings that resemble theater of the absurd, challenging even the best tempered jurists’ ability to … Continue reading The Georgia Law of Screening Orders: Preventing Repeated Frivolous, Malicious, and Unsubstantiated Complaint Filings by Self-Represented Litigants
"My counselor helped me solve internal struggles while my mentor provided a friend like I’ve never had."Fayette County VTC Participant November is National Veterans & Military Families Month. To honor the sacrifices made by members of the military and their families, we are highlighting the work of Veteran's Treatment Courts (VTC): a type of court … Continue reading Veteran’s Treatment Courts: Serving Those Who Served
Michelle Barclay: Congratulations, Ben, on your new job! Please tell our readers why you applied for the CTO position at the Judicial Council/AOC. Ben Luke: I really enjoy what I do. I have a passion for technology and I've enjoyed serving and working alongside my customers at the Council of Superior Court Judges for the … Continue reading Meet Ben Luke, JC/AOC’s new Chief Technology Officer
Judge Lisa LottWestern Judicial Circuit Superior Court Noelle Lagueux-Alvarez: How long have you served as a judge and what was your path to the bench? Judge Lott: I took the bench in January 2019. So, I have been a judge for a little over a year and a half. My path to the bench started … Continue reading Focused on Safety, Public Access, and Getting Things Done in Athens-Clarke County: An Interview with Superior Court Judge Lisa Lott