2016 Enacted Legislation
The 2016 Regular Session of the 153rd Georgia General Assembly convened on January 11, 2016, and adjourned Sine Die on March 24, 2016. During the 40-day legislative session, the legislature passed bills to address a variety of issues, including a number of bills that impact the state’s judicial branch. During the 2016 Session, the General Assembly passed four Judicial Council-supported bills: HB 691, SB 255, SB 262 and SB 64.
Criminal Justice Reform Council of Georgia (CJRC)-A Review and What’s Next
A recent conversation with Thomas Worthy, who Co-Chairs the Criminal Justice Reform Council (“CJRC”), along with Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Michael Boggs, revealed that all of the CJRC’s recommendations contained in its January 2016 report were included in SB 367, which passed the General Assembly unanimously and was signed by Governor Deal on April 27, 2016. When asked what is next, Mr. Worthy replied, “the Council is going to spend 2016 studying restoring judicial discretion in criminal sentencing and the effectiveness of Georgia’s probation system as a whole.”
Judge Vincent Crawford participates in White House Foster Care and Technology Hackathon
Dekalb County Juvenile Court Judge Vincent Crawford presented recently to the Judicial Council of Georgia’s Standing Committee on Technology, chaired by Justice Harold Melton. Judge Crawford spoke about his use of the Court Process Reporting System (CPRS) while on the bench, while attorney Jerry Bruce discussed the statewide application and IT contractor, George Li, explained the technology of it all.
Day on the Beach in Columbia County
Members of the Augusta Judicial circuit held the first Law Day celebration in Columbia County that gave Columbia County leaders, legislators and other community leaders a look inside the day-to-day operations of the justice system.
Sponsored by the Georgia Judicial Council’s Administrative Office of the Courts in honor of Law Day, visitors were able to observe all aspects of the judicial system.
This article ran in the Columbia County News Times.