Gate City Bar Judicial Section Names 2010 Legacy Award Winners

ATLANTA – The Gate City Bar Association Judicial Section has named those receiving its 2010 Legacy Awards. They are:

• A.T. Walden Award:

• Granvette Matthews, Esq., Director, Family Division of Superior Court of Fulton County

• Judge Clarence Cooper Legacy Award:

• Judge Marvin S. Arrington, Sr., Atlanta Judicial Circuit

• Judge Thelma Wyatt Moore Legacy Award:

• Judge Constance Russell, Atlanta Judicial Circuit

• Justice Robert Benham Legacy Award:

• Judge Orion L. Douglass, State Court of Glynn County

• Judge Horace T. Ward Legacy Award:

• Judge Stephanie Davis, Magistrate Court of Fulton County

The awards will be presented at the Judicial Section’s holiday scholarship and awards dinner on December 8, 2010.

“This year’s Legacy Award recipients are phenomenal public servants representing the high professional standards set by the esteemed jurists for whom these awards have been named,” said Judicial Section Chair, Fulton Superior Court Judge Gail S. Tusan. “It is my personal and professional honor to publicly acknowledge the contributions made to the legal community and community at large.”

Five local high school seniors and one graduating Morehouse College senior will be presented the Section’s 2011-2012 scholarships.

Those selected for scholarships are:

• Amanda Bennett, a junior at Chamblee Charter High School

• Paul Harris, Jr., a senior at Carver Early College High School

• Joa O’Neal, a senior at Carver Early College High School

• Christopher Preston, a senior at Morehouse College

• Ashanté Rosier-Robinson, a senior at Chamblee Charter High School

• Tevin Williams, a senior at Carver Early College High School

The Gate City Bar Association [http://gatecitybar.org/],established in 1948, is the oldest African American Bar Association in the State of Georgia. The Gate City Bar Association was organized by ten African American lawyers to provide the educational, social and community involvement of a professional association for African American lawyers.

The purpose of GCBA Judicial Section [http://www.gatecityjudges.org/], founded in 2005, is to assist Georgia judges in the performance of their responsibilities and to foster positive relations between the bench and the bar. Through various community outreach programs, the Judicial Section seeks to build bridges with other organizations, constituencies and the community at large, all with the goal of increasing public trust and confidence in the justice system.

The Superior Court of Fulton County is Georgia’s largest and busiest trial court. Become a fan of the Fulton Superior Court on facebook. Follow the Court on twitter.

###

About the 2010 Legacy Award Namesakes and Recipients:

• A. T. Walden---Born in Fort Valley, GA, A.T. Walden received a law degree from the University of Michigan in 1911 and subsequently began practicing in Macon, GA. After serving as a captain in the army in World War I, Walden began practicing in Atlanta. Here he founded the Gate City Bar Association and the Atlanta Negro Voters League. After serving as president of the Atlanta NAACP, delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and the first black judge in Georgia since the Reconstruction Era, serving in Atlanta’s Municipal Court, Walden passed in 1965.

Granvette Matthews ---  has been the Director of the Fulton Superior Court Family Division since November 2001. Prior to that time she was the Administrator of the Fulton County Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. She is a member of the Georgia Bar and is a registered neutral with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution.

Ms. Matthews is a graduate of the Emory University School of Law. She earned her Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University and her undergraduate degree in Sociology from Winthrop University where she graduated magna cum laude. Ms. Matthews also earned her undergraduate certificate in Social Work from Winthrop University.

After receiving her undergraduate degree, Ms. Matthews served as a Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) in Atlanta, and, upon graduation from law school Ms. Matthews was awarded a Reginald Heber Smith Community Lawyer Fellowship and served as a staff attorney with Georgia Legal Services. Prior to her employment with Fulton County, Ms. Matthews was employed by the City of Atlanta, first as the Director of Pretrial Services and then as Clerk of Court/Court Administrator for the City of Atlanta Municipal Court.

In an interesting coincidence, Ms. Matthews used to volunteer at A. T. Walden Middle School, in Atlanta, teaching students about mediation.

• Clarence Cooper—Born in Decatur, GA, Clarence Cooper obtained a Doctorate of Law in 1967 from Emory University. After working with Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Cooper became the first black Assistant District Attorney with Fulton County. Cooper served as a judge in the City of Atlanta Municipal Court and the Fulton County Superior Court before being appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1990. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton as the second black federal judge in Georgia in 1995.

Marvin S. Arrington --- was appointed Judge to the Fulton County Superior Court by Governor Roy Barnes in January 2002. Prior to his appointment as Judge, Mr. Arrington was senior partner at the law firm of Arrington & Hollowell. His areas of concentration were civil litigation, white-collar crime, administrative law, and corporate representation.

He has been voted “One of Atlanta’s Top 25 Lawyers” by Atlanta Magazine and is recognized as being “Among the 100 Most Influential People in Georgia” by Georgia Trend Magazine. He received the Silverback Award recognizing his good works with the Atlanta Zoo. Mr. Arrington also received the Georgia Bar Association’s highest community service award, “The Chief Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service.”

Judge Arrington is an Emory University Law School Alumnus and a graduate of Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta. As a member of the Society of International Business Fellows, he attended the London School of Business in 1981. Judge Arrington served as President of the Atlanta City Council, having been a member of the Council for over twenty years. He also has served as a member of the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Authority and was its Chairman for eleven years, having been appointed by Mayor Maynard Jackson and later re-appointed by former Mayor Andrew Young.

Judge Arrington’s recently published autobiography, “MAKING MY MARK The Story of a Man Who Wouldn’t Stay in His Place,” is a testament of what happens when hard work and perseverance meet tenacity and optimism. It’s the story of a dedicated man, born in a segregated South who went on to break down racial barriers and build walls of inclusion and harmony. Through this book and his work with youth on the bench and in the larger community Judge Arrington continues to mentor, educate, and inspire future generations.

Judge Arrington has served as a Special Assistant to the President of the National Bar Association and formerly headed that Association's legal section. He was also appointed by the President of the American Bar Association to serve on the Association's Advisory Committee of the Special Committee on Election Law and Voter Participation. Judge Arrington has also served the State Bar of Georgia as Chairman of the Correctional Facilities and Service Committee.

Judge Arrington has served as a member of the boards of the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority, the Metropolitan Atlanta Olympic Authority, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Advisory Board of the World Trade Club of Atlanta, the Commerce Club, the Atlanta Business League, the Atlanta Lawyers Club, and the Board of Governors of the Atlanta City Club. Judge Arrington has served on the Board of Trustees of The Lovett School and Clark Atlanta University. He is presently a member of the Board of Trustees of Emory University.

Judge Arrington has received numerous awards and commendations in recognition of his many accomplishments within the legal profession and for his commitment to community service. Emory University awarded Judge Arrington the "Emory Medal" in 1988 and the "Distinguished Alumnus Award" in 1989.

Judge Arrington's professional affiliations have included memberships in the State Bar of Georgia, the National Bar Association, the American Bar Association, Atlanta Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, the Gate City Bar Association and the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

• Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore—Born in Los Angeles, CA, Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore was the first woman to serve full-time on the benches of the Atlanta Municipal Court and the City Court of Atlanta. She is the first woman to serve as Chief Judge of the Superior Court of Fulton County and the first African-American woman to serve as Chief Administrative Judge of any Judicial Circuit in Georgia. Before retiring, after almost 30 years of service, Moore received the United States Chief Justice Award for Judicial Excellence.

Honorable Constance C. Russell ---

Judge, Superior Court

Atlanta Circuit, Fifth Judicial Administrative District County: Fulton

Office Address

T5705 Justice Center Tower 185 Central Avenue, SW Atlanta, GA 30303

Phone: 404-612-2803 Fax: 404-335-2814

Secretary: Vickie Edwards-Hood

Email: vickie.edwards-hood@fultoncountyga.gov

Birth date: December 1

Initial Term: (A) 03/04/96

College/University: Harvard University

Law School: University of Virginia School of Law

• Robert Benham—Born in Cartersville, GA, Robert Benham holds a J.D. from the University of Georgia and an L.L.M from the University of Virginia. After serving as an attorney for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Benham worked as a Special Assistant Attorney General in Cartersville while serving as President of the Bartow County Bar Association. After being appointed by Governor Joe Frank Harris as the first black state appellate judge in Georgia and serving for five years, Benham was appointed the 1st black Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia.

Honorable Orin L. Douglass --- was born February 22, 1947 in Savannah, Georgia. His parents were both longtime educators in the Chatham County school system and he received his primary and secondary education in the Catholic parochial schools of Savannah.

In 1964, Douglass received his high school diploma from St. Pius X High School in Savannah, Georgia and in that same year was awarded a four-year athletic scholarship to attend Holy Cross College in Worchester, Massachusetts.

While at Holy Cross College, Douglas majored in Philosophy and received his A.B. degree in 1968. In that same year he was accepted and enrolled into Washington University Law School in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1971, he received his Juris Doctorate degree from that institution.

After graduating from Washington University, Douglass was admitted to the State Bars of Missouri and Georgia in 1973. After serving as a law intern for the St. Louis Legal Aid Society and subsequently, Assistant Circuit attorney for the City of St. Louis, Douglass returned to his home state of Georgia in 1974.

After a brief stint as associate counsel for the law firm of Hill, Jones and Farrington in Atlanta, Georgia, Douglass returned to coastal Georgia and moved to St. Simons Island, Georgia in 1974. Since that time he has practiced law in the Glynn County community as a general practice trial lawyer for almost twenty years and presently is judge of the State Court of Glynn County.

In 1981 Douglass was appointed by the Brunswick City Council to the position of Judge of the Municipal Court. He served in that capacity for 12 years until November 1992 when he was elected in a multi-candidate, countywide race to the position of Judge of the State Court of Glynn County. Judge Douglass is presently serving his fourth term in that position.

Judge Douglass is married to the former Shirley Hill of Valdosta, Georgia and to this 34-year union they have been blessed with the birth of three children, Orin Jr., age 33, a special child, Omar, age 28, a 2004 graduate of Holy Cross College, and Odet, age 22, a senior at Holy Cross College and a member of the class of 2011.

Douglass, the grandson of a Presbyterian minister, is a member of the Brunswick Second Presbyterian Church where he is an Elder, sings in the choir and serves as the assistant music director. He presently serves on the Executive Board of the Okeefenoke Council of the Boy Scouts and is a charter member of the Fourteen Black Men of Glynn, Inc. He also served as past chairman of the Communities in Schools of Glynn, a grass roots support organization which serves and supports he public schools of Glynn County, Georgia.

Judge Douglass has served on several special commissions appointed by the Georgia Supreme Court and the Governor of Georgia. He is past President of the Council of State Court Judges for the State of Georgia and was once nominated to the Governor’s shortlist to fill a vacancy on the Georgia Court of Appeals until his nomination was withdrawn as his request.

Judge Douglass presently serves on various commercial and non-profit boards of directors and in 2004 he was specially honored by his alma mater, Washington University Law School when he was inducted as an honorary initiate into the University’s Oder of the Coif. In 2006 he was awarded a Distinguished Law Alumni Award by Washington University for that year and in 2007 he was awarded the Alfred W. Jones, Sr. Man of the Year Award by the Brunswick-Glynn County Chamber of Commerce.

• Horace Ward—Born in LaGrange, GA, Horace Ward obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and a Master’s degree from Atlanta University. He subsequently obtained a law degree from Northwestern University after being denied by the then-segregated University of Georgia Law School. Ward later added in the case to desegregate UGA’s law school. He served for nine years in Georgia’s State Senate before being appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the first black federal judge in the state of Georgia in 1979.

Honorable Stephanie Davis --- was born in Atlanta, Georgia to Albert and Myrtle Davis. She attended St. Paul of the Cross Elementary School and graduated from Northside High School. She earned an AB degree in Communication at Stanford University and obtained her JD degree at Emory University.


Judge Davis’ first job as an attorney was law clerk to the Honorable Clarence Cooper in the Superior Court of Fulton County in 1986. After Judge Cooper’s appointment to the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1990, she joined his staff as staff attorney. She later served as staff attorney for Judges Harold Banke and John Ruffin. In 2000, Judge Davis was appointed to be a part time magistrate in Fulton County. She became a full time magistrate in 2002. Last year, the judges of the State Court of Fulton County appointed her Chief Magistrate of Fulton County where she presides over dispossessory matters, small claims, garnishments, civilian warrant applications, traffic court, criminal first appearances, the issuance of arrest and search warrants, as well as, mental health, environmental, child support and domestic violence cases.

A strong advocate for persons with disabilities, Judge Davis served as the first chairperson for the Fulton County Commission on Disability Affairs. She joined others in a successful federal lawsuit against MARTA to ensure equal access to transportation in metropolitan Atlanta. She currently serves as a member of the Advisory Board at the Shepherd Center and has served as an advisor on disability related issues for numerous boards and agencies.

Judge Davis has served on several boards, including the Board of the Directors of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation and the Executive Board for the Council of Magistrate Court Judges.

Judge Davis is an enthusiastic Atlanta Falcons fan. She currently devotes a great deal of her free time to her neighborhood, Atlantic Station and serves on the Board of Directors of the Art Foundry Condominium Association.

About the students receiving scholarships:

Amanda Bennett is a junior at Chamblee Charter High School. Amanda has served as a prosecuting attorney on her school’s mock trial team as well as a member of the Academic and Black History Bowl teams. She plays the violin for the DeKalb Youth Symphony and is currently a member of DeKalb County Teen Court. Amanda hopes to be a public defender one day.

Paul Harris, Jr. is a senior at Carver Early College High School, where he currently stands as class Valedictorian. He is dually enrolled at Georgia State University and has been honored with the National Honor Society Leader Award as well as the President’s List at GSU. He is the Captain of his school’s debate team and the Vice-President of the Key Club. After receiving his Juris Doctorate, Paul plans on becoming a criminal defense lawyer.

Joa O’Neal is a senior at Carver Early College High School. She has been an active member of the Atlanta community for years, volunteering with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Be a Match Foundation, Hands on Atlanta, and many breast cancer research initiatives. She plans to continue to college next fall and ultimately hopes to have a career in non-profit administration.

Christopher Preston is a senior Political Science major at Morehouse College; he is also the first male in his family to attend college. He is a Dean’s List student who spent a summer studying at the London School of Economics. Preston currently serves at the president of the 100 Black Men of America Collegiate Chapter of Atlanta, GA. Upon graduation, Preston plans to continue to law school.

Ashanté Rosier-Robinson is a senior at Chamblee Charter High School. She is the secretary of her school’s Student Government Association and a volunteer with Hosea Feed the Hungry and Hands on Atlanta. After attending law school, Ashanté plans to use her knowledge of the legal system to press for a higher quality of education in South DeKalb county public schools.

Tevin Williams is a senior at Carver Early College High School. He is an honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society. Tevin has been consistently involved with the Sandtown community Recreational Center Community Service Projects. Next fall, he plans on attending the University of Georgia as a pre-law major, after which he will pursue a Juris Doctorate.

Pretrial Offices Have Been Combined

ATLANTA - Less than a month after the merger was approved Fulton County Superior and State Court Pretrial offices have been combined!

The merger, approved Oct. 21 by Fulton County Commissioners and completed Nov. 19, marks a new era of cooperation and efficiency said Superior Court Chief Judge Cynthia Wright and State Court Chief Judge Patsy Porter.

The merger combined offices that supervised misdemeanor and felony defendants. The measure was promised earlier this year by Court leaders to increase the efficiency of court operations in the face of ongoing budget constraints.

“This change ushers in a new era of cooperation between State and Superior Courts of sharing services to increase the efficiency of both Courts,” said Chief Superior Court Judge Wright who became Chief Judge in May.

State Court Chief Judge Porter, who also took office this year, agreed that the merger is “a good opportunity to work together as a court system; to show that we are on the same team.”

A committee of State Court judges Susan B. Forsling, Susan E. Edlein and Fred C. Eady worked with State Court staff to hammer out the details of the transfer, Judge Porter said. She praised the “invaluable” service of State Court staff members Mark Harper, Valerie Jordan and Adelaide Wilder in preparing for the transfer of the misdemeanor pretrial release and supervision to Superior Court.

Current State Court pretrial office employees became Superior Court employees under the agreement, said Superior Court Administrator Yolanda Lewis. Combining the operations provides court officials an opportunity to evaluate and improve efficiencies, Lewis said.

"We look forward to a new and improved Pretrial program which will expand the use of technologies and services," Lewis said.

Pretrial Services officers provide neutral, non-adversarial and verified information to judges, defense attorneys, and the prosecutors for use in determining whether to grant bond at a defendant’s initial court appearance and any subsequent hearings where bond and or conditions of release are being determined.

Supervision officers conduct drug testing of defendants to determine the prevalence of drug addiction in the jail population and provide initial screening for addiction and or mental illness to determine which defendants may be appropriately referred to Drug or Mental Health Court.

Working around the clock seven days a week Superior Court Pretrial Services screened 14,220 felony defendants in 2009. Of that total, judges assigned 4,435 defendants to the supervised release program.

Defendants in the supervised release program are much more likely to appear in court and avoid further arrests. In 2009, 97 percent of defendants released to Pretrial supervision attended all scheduled court hearings while avoiding new criminal charges.

The Superior and State Courts of Fulton County are Georgia’s largest and busiest trial courts.

Learn more about the Superior Court on Facebook and follow Court developments on twitter. You can also access information about Superior and State Court programs on the internet at http://www.fultoncourt.org/.

###

Court Security Projects Funded

On Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2010 the Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted to include major improvements to the security of Fulton Courts in a federal bond issue.
The 5-2 vote capped two weeks of negotiations between county and judicial leaders to reinstate $5.4 million in previously approved projects to improve security at the county's Juvenile Court and create a state-of-the-art security command center in the Fulton Court Complex.
The security changes were among improvements a Governor's Commission on Court Security recommended in 2006 following a shooting spree at the Fulton Court Complex in which a Superior Court Judge, court reporter and Deputy were killed by an escaping defendant in a rape case.

The $26 million bond project also includes lighting, building maintenance and roof replacement of a senior center. Other items approved Wednesday include a job training center near the Fulton County jail, a prisoner reentry center for prisoners coming out of Georgia prisons, an arts center roof replacement, and bus stop lighting and street security cameras. A health center would be renovated to increase services and the aviation community center at the county's airport in the Fulton Industrial Boulevard area.

New Issue of Jury Newsletter Available Online

August 2010 Jury Matters Newsletter

The current issue of Jury Matters includes profiles of two Fulton County Superior Court judges and the Clerk of Superior Court, plus tips on navigating family law issues and an update on how social media are adding to concerns about fair trials.

The quarterly newsletter also has information on staying comfortable and keeping up with business demands during jury service. And a regular feature, our Service feedback form helps the Court maintain top customer service for those who provide a vital public service.

Download a copy and learn more about the judicial branch and how jurors preserve our democratic system of government.

Court's 20th Judge Takes Office

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shawn Ellen LaGrua has taken the oath of office and is now the Court's 20th elected judge.

Judge LaGrua was appointed to the new office by Governor Sonny Perdue. She was the Inspector General of the Georgia Secretary of State's Office. Previously, she had been Solicitor General of DeKalb County and an assistant district attorney in DeKalb and Fulton counties, for the Tallapoosa Circuit and the Prosecuting Attorney's Council.

Judge LaGrua graduated from the University of Georgia in 1984 and received her juris doctorate in law from the Georgia State University College of Law in 1987.

Judge LaGrua is a Master of the Logan E. Bleckley Inn of Court, an Advanced Evidence professor at Georgia State University College of Law, and a founding member and chair of the Georgia Association of Woman Lawyers, Judicial Application Review Committee.

Her community activities include serving on the boards of directors of The Georgia Center for Children, The Daisy Hill Foundation, Ahimsa House, Gold Shield Foundation, and Project Destiny Academy of Excellence.

Judge LaGrua will hear a mixed docket of criminal and civil cases. Her chambers telephone number is 404-612-8460.

Fulton Judge Named to Court Reporter Board

ATLANTA – Fulton Superior Court Judge Ural D. Glanville has been appointed to the board supervising the work and professional standards of Georgia’s official court reporters.

Judge Glanville is one of two judges on the nine-member Board of Court Reporting. The Judicial Council of Georgia, which is comprised of the Chief Judges of the Georgia’s Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Superior, State, Magistrate and Juvenile courts, established the Board of Court Reporting to define and regulate the practice of court reporting in Georgia.

Judge Glanville’s appointment to the Board by the Judicial Council a vote of confidence in his abilities, said Fulton Superior Court Chief Judge Cynthia Wright.

“For Judge Glanville to be appointed to oversee this critical part of our system of justice is a tribute to him--and our Court has utmost confidence in him to discharge the duties required,” Chief Judge Wright said.

The Board consists of five certified court reporters, two attorneys appointed by the State Bar of Georgia and two judges, one from the State Court and one from the Superior Court. The Board meets four times a year and conducts two certification examinations a year. Certification by one of two national associations is required for anyone to be a court reporter in Georgia.

Judge Glanville has been a Fulton Superior Court Judge since 2005 and is also an Army Judge Advocate Officer. Previously he served as a Magistrate Judge in Fulton State Court, and prosecutor in the Solicitor General’s Office in DeKalb and Fulton Counties. Judge Glanville received his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.


For additional biographical information and a reproducible .jpg photo of Judge Glanville, go to: http://www.fultoncourt.org/sca200807/judges/superior-court-judges/a-l/ural-d-glanville.html

For more information on the Board of Court Reporters, go to: http://www.georgiacourts.org/agencies/bcr/index.html

Hearing in Election Petition Case on Wednesday

A hearing in the Mary Norwood election petition case (10CV187251) will be held on Wednesday, June 30 at 9:30 a.m. before Superior Court of Fulton County Judge Jerry W. Baxter in Courtroom 4D, Fulton Justice Center Tower, 185 Central Ave., S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.
Media should fax Rule 22 electronic coverage requests to 404-224-3748. For further media information contact, pio@fultoncourt.org.

Benefit from upcoming Law Day events

As we begin the second decade of the twenty-first century, the law is changing dramatically as it seeks to shape and adapt to new conditions.
Law Day 2010 provides us with an opportunity to understand and appreciate the emerging challenges and enduring traditions of law in the 21st century.

The Judges and staff of the Superior Court of Fulton County invite you to participate in and benefit from Law Day 2010 programs scheduled throughout our community.

April 26, 27 & 28

Welcome to Court!

Greeters at each entrance of the Fulton County Courthouse complex welcome visitors plus special programs for jurors

April 27

Free Advance Directives for Healthcare

Volunteer attorneys & paralegals provide free assistance in creating Advance Directives, Fulton Government Center Atrium, 141 Pryor St., 9 a.m. – 3 pm

May 1

Law Day Legal Clinic and Workshop

World Changers Church International, 2500 Burdett Road, College Park, 11:30 am – 4 pm. Phone: 770-210-5700

May 22

Community Law Clinic

In celebration of Law Day, the Gate City Bar Association will host its first Community Law Clinic 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Greenbriar Mall. This clinic will provide an opportunity for lawyers, and other legal professionals, to participate in a hands-on project interfacing with the community. Citizens will have the opportunity to have a one-on-one consultation with an attorney in the following practice areas: Bankruptcy, Foreclosures, Family Law and Criminal Law. Additionally, there will be on-going seminars throughout the day for the public on bankruptcy and foreclosures.

For more information call (404) 419-6627 or www.gatecitybar.org

May 23

2010 Law Day Worship Service

Legal Ministry of Cascade United Methodist Church in partnership with the Gate City Bar Association, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, and Judicial Section of the Gate City Bar Association, Sunday, May 23, 2010, 11:00 am, Cascade United Methodist Church, 3144 Cascade Road, SW, Atlanta, GA 30311. Speaker: The Hon. Paul L. Howard, Jr., Fulton County District Attorney. Free and open to the public.

Fulton Superior Court Judge Westmoreland Moves to Business Court

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melvin K. Westmoreland has moved from the Fulton Justice Tower to the historic Lewis Slaton Fulton County Courthouse.

Westmoreland, a Superior Court Judge in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit since 1988, said he moved to Courtroom 9G in the 136 Pryor St. Courthouse for two reasons.

He recently became the only elected Superior Court Judge serving in the Fulton Business Court and now exclusively hears civil cases. Judge Westmoreland’s new chambers (Room C927) put him on the same floor with Business Court Senior Judges Alice Bonner and Elizabeth Long and Business Court manager Noelle Lagueux-Alvarez.

The move also makes room in the Fulton Justice Tower for newly appointed Superior Court Judge Shawn LaGrua. When LaGrua is sworn in as the circuit's 20th judge she may hear a mixed docket of criminal and civil cases. Criminal cases are restricted to the Tower which has secure holding cells and elevators used to transfer prisoners to and from the Fulton County Jail.

"With only civil cases I don't need holding cells and it helps to be close to the other business court operations," Judge Westmoreland said.

Judge Westmoreland's chambers telephone is 404-612-2570.

Final Order in Grady Hemodialysis Case

The final order by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville in the case 2009CV175156 is now posted on the Court's Media website page.
http://www.fultoncourt.org/sca200807/for-media.html

Fulton Judicial System Budget Response

The Chief Judge of the Superior Court of Fulton County and the Fulton County District Attorney will present the response of the Fulton County Justice System elected officials to the proposed Fulton County 2010 budget at a news briefing on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

The briefing will be held at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 7F of the Fulton Justice Center Tower, 185 Central Ave., S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.

News media wishing to record sound or pictures at the briefing must submit a Rule 22 request via fax to: 404-335-2828 prior to noon Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Please email pio@fultoncourt.org if you plan to cover this event so your personnel can receive any assistance they may need to enter and set up prior to the briefing.

(end)

Chief Judge leads Dubai Judicial Training

The following article appeared in the Nov. 10, 2009 edition of TradeArabia News Service

DJI hosts judicial training program

The Dubai Judicial Institute (DJI), a leading centre of law studies and judicial training in Dubai, is organising a three-day judicial training program in co-ordination with University of Georgia for aspiring judges, lawyers and district attorneys.

The International Judiciary Training Program (IJTP) is being held at the Institute’s Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hasher Hall and will run up to November 12.

To be held under the theme ‘Caseflow Management – USA Experience,’ the training sessions mark the first time that IJTP is partnering with a foreign organisation (DJI) and providing training outside the US.

The program will share the US experience in caseflow management and judicial leadership to assist in the development of the Emirates’ judiciary.

Prominent speakers will include judge Doris Downs, chief judge, Fulton County Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit; judge David Emerson, current member of the Georgia Supreme Court Technology Advisory Committee and member of the Judicial Counsel of Georgia; and Mark Beer, registrar of the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts.

"This landmark event will usher in a new age in the UAE’s judicial system, bringing to the fore the best technologies and techniques for optimising and expediting the dispensation of justice."
"Our partnership with the University of Georgia brings us a step closer to establishing the DJI as a premier regional and international education and training institution for aspiring judges and public prosecutors. We have seen rapid growth in our judicature over the years, so IJTP provides us with the perfect opportunity to properly direct our efforts in our field," said Dr Jamal Alsumaiti, director general of Dubai Judicial Institute (pictured above).

"Organising this training program is in line with our vision and strategy to implement the best judicial practices and reinforce the position of Dubai Judicial Institute as a regional center for excellence in judicial and legal studies."

"DJI is the first institute in Middle East to offer such a specialised training program in judicial studies, and the participation of director generals of UAE courts and the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs in Bahrain reflects the significance of this training program to further enhance the quality of judiciary in the region," Dr Alsumaiti added.

Speakers at the training program will explain the management of routine and complex civil or criminal cases; particular considerations when handling the routine criminal case and implementing knowledge economy principles through judicial practices.

They will also discuss the use of case count data in trial case management and judicial administration; building and managing the finances for local court operations; and the role of the chief administrative judge.

Other topics to be discussed include the integration of technology into the judicial practice; the judge’s ethical duties; judicial values; and caseflow management and policies.- TradeArabia News Service

Copyright © 2007 TradeArabia.com All rights reserved

Superior Court names new Juvenile Court Judge

ATANTA - Fulton County Associate Juvenile Court Judge Bradley J. Boyd has been selected to be Presiding Judge of the Fulton Juvenile Court.

Judge Boyd, who has served as an Associate Judge for the Fulton Juvenile Court since 2006, fills the seat left open by the death of longtime Judge Sanford J. Jones.

He joins Chief Juvenile Court Judge Belinda E. Edwards and five Associate Judges at the state's largest Juvenile Court.

Judge Boyd, who began work at the Fulton Juvenile Court in 1973 as a probation officer, was chosen Wednesday by vote of the 19 Judges of the Superior Court of Fulton County. He was among five finalists for the position recommended by an independent selection committee.

Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Doris L. Downs praised Judge Boyd for having dedicated his life to the welfare of children.

"Brad Boyd is a truly dedicated public servant who has toiled in the trenches day after day and remains a spark of innovation that helps create systems that support the restoration of young lives," said Judge Downs. "We are truly fortunate to have Brad and all the other finalists for this position, each of whom would have been worthy choices."

Other finalists chosen from among 34 candidates for the Judgeship were attorneys: Jim Barfield, Angela Davis, Phillip Jackson and Juliette Scales.

Judge Boyd said the appointment is the opportunity of a lifetime and provides a challenge to continue the great work begun by Judge Jones and other predecessor judges of the Fulton Juvenile Court.

"In the years I have spent working in the Juvenile Court I have come to understand and appreciate the contributions and legacies of the Judges, other leaders in the courts, and the enormous contributions by hundreds of community members in building what is our Juvenile Court today," Judge Boyd said. "I am both honored and humbled that the Judges of the Superior Court have appointed me to help care for that legacy and carry it forward."

The Fulton County Juvenile Court is one of the oldest in the country. In 2008 there were 9,620 cases filed in the court, including 5,010 delinquency cases and 2,329 deprivation cases. The court conducted 23,848 hearings which were heard by six full time judges and several part time judges. The court employs a staff of 157.

Fulton County Juvenile Court Judge Finalists Announced

Five finalists have been selected for the position of a full time circuit-wide Judge of the Fulton County Juvenile Court.


Those chosen from among 33 candidates are: Jim Barfield, Brad Boyd, Angela Davis, Phillip Jackson and Juliette Scales.


Applications were solicited by publication of notice in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 15-11-18(d). The statutory qualifications for appointment to this position are established by O.C.G.A. § 15-11-18(e). Applications were due to the Court by August 30, 2009.


The finalists are scheduled to be interviewed Oct. 26, 2009 by the Judges of the Superior Court of Fulton County. The 19 elected Fulton Superior Court Judges will make the final selection.


The Court appointed an independent Commission to interview and recommend finalists for the position vacated earlier this year by the tragic death of Judge Sanford J. Jones in an aviation crash.


The new Juvenile Court Judge is expected to be named prior to the end of 2009.