Council of State Court Judges newsletter [Vol. 9, no. 1 (Spring 2003)]

Council of
State Court Judges
Newsletter

Volume 9, Issue 1

Spring 2003

Our Thoughts and Prayers are with the Men and Women in the Armed Services Fighting in the Middle East

Their Sacrifice is One For Which We Are Most Grateful.
May They Return to Us Safely.

What's Inside

From the President Meet the New Judges All About the Council Spring Conference
Committee Schedule Spring Conference
Educational Agenda Brasstown Pictures Reducing Recidivism Burke County Victim
Impact Program

pg 2 pg 3 pg 6
pg 7
pg 8 pg 11 pg 14
pg 15

Page 2

State Court Judges Newsletter

From the President...

Thanks for a Great Year!

I will soon be leaving the office of

President. This year seems to have

flown by. I appreciate all of the help I

have received from

everyone involved in

this organization. I

can truly say that it

has been a pleasure

to serve in this

capacity.

The legisla-

Melodie Clayton

ture is still in session as I write this. The

biggest challenge we have faced there

this year is the indigent defense bill.

Whatever the outcome, I want to thank

Henry Newkirk and Richard Slaby as

co-chairs of the legislative committee

who, along with many others of you

including Ogden Doremus, contacted

legislators and did other work to see

that our voice has been heard. Below is

a request for you to assist the

Legislative Committee in the future.

Get Involved We will be electing officers for the
coming year at our Spring conference at Brasstown. Contact the Nominating Committee chair, Jeannette Little if you would like to serve as an officer. The Executive Committee includes President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, Immediate Past President, and the Chairs of each of our Eight Districts. Therefore, you may become a member of the Executive Committee by election to one of these posts. The District Chairs are elected by the membership in their respective Districts. So, if you are interested, start campaigning.
You may not be ready for a position on the Executive Committee but wish to

Do You Know Any Legislators?

I want to remind you that our Legislative Committee co-chairs, Judges Newkirk and Slaby, asked for information earlier in their term relating to the question of which members of the legislature each of us knows well. The Indigent Defense bill is a prime example of the need for this kind of information. While the leadership of the Council and the Chairs of the committee can formulate our position, we need YOU to talk to the legislators with whom you have a relationship.
As happened this year with the indigent defense bill, important issues can

sometimes come up with little or no warning and be quite time-sensitive. At these times your legislative chairs are able to determine who the critical legislators are. However, they need to have a list of everyone who has a good relationship with each of those legislators. They can then contact you and ask you to contact those legislators, providing you with the talking points for the issue involved. So, please, whether or not you are on the Legislative Committee, make a point to notify Stephan Frank of your contacts in the Georgia House and Senate.

be more involved in the workings of the Council. Volunteer to serve on a committee. There are several standing committees. They are listed, along with the current membership of each on our website at http://georgiacourts.org/state/ Please let your incoming President Carlton Vines know of your interest by fax (404-463-0844) or email (franks@aoc.courts.state.ga.us) to Executive Director Stephan Frank. I know he will appreciate hearing from you and will favorably consider your request to be appointed to one or more committees.
Let Your Leadership Know How You Feel About the Issues
Not long ago Wayne Purdom, Chair of our Strategic Planning Committee, sent each of us some information on three important issues that will affect the future of State Courts in this State. Those issues are: Creation of a third class of criminal offenses at a level below misdemeanors Indigent Defense and funding of same Sentencing Guidelines
Along with the information, Judge Purdom sent us surveys to complete and fax back to Stephan Frank. Please fax these completed surveys back to Stephan as soon as possible. This is necessary for the work of the Strategic Planning Committee that will be done at Brasstown in May, and Wayne will need the info in order to prepare.
Are there other issues about which you are concerned? Please let us know. The Council of State Court Judges of Georgia is an organization that includes every State Court Judge in the State. Let us know what your leadership can do to serve the entire group.

State Court Judges Newsletter
Meet the New State Court Judges

APPLING COUNTY

Judge E. Preston Johnson, Jr. is a

native resident of Appling County. He

received his BA from

the University of

Georgia in 1986 and

graduated from

Mercer University's

Walter F. George

School of Law with

his JD Degree in

E. Preston Johnson

1989. Following law school he worked for

the Honorable Claude W. Hicks, Jr.,

United States Magistrate Judge in

Macon as a Federal Judicial Law Clerk.

After three years working with Judge

Hicks he returned to Baxley to join his

father in the firm of Emmett P. Johnson

& E. Preston Johnson, Jr. Judge

Johnson serves as the Municipal Court

Judge for the city of Baxley. He is also

Director of the Baxley/Appling County

Chamber of Commerce and is an active

member of the Kiwanis Club of Baxley.

Judge Johnson serves as a deacon in the

First Baptist Church of Baxley and is

married to Jenni Williams Johnson. The

Judge and his wife are the parents of

two children: daughter, Rawlins, and

son, Preston. In his spare time the Judge

enjoys golfing and fishing. He was

sworn in as the State Court Judge of

Appling County on December 30, 2002.

COBB COUNTY Judge David Darden was elected to the State Court of Cobb County in September of 2002 and began serving in
January of 2003. He received his BS from Georgia Southern University in 1980 and went on to study law at the University of Georgia. Judge Darden graduated David Darden from UGA in 1983

with his law degree and married Cobb County school teacher Lisa Darden. Following law school Judge Darden entered private practice at the firm of Smith, Eubanks, Smith, & Darden. He served as City Attorney for the City of Austell and Counsel for the Cobb County Board of Ethics. Judge Darden served as President of the Cobb County Bar Association in 2000-2001 and has served on the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Georgia since 1996. He is an elder and founding member of New Covenant Church and has been involved in the Cobb Christian Lawyers Fellowship since 1988. In his spare time the Judge enjoys running and an active membership in the Bulldog Nation. He and his wife have two children.

Judge Kathryn Tanksley graduated

from the Medical College of Georgia

with a Bachelor of Science in 1975.

Following college

she worked in the

field of Health Care

Administration. She

earned her law

degree from the

University of

Georgia in 1983. As

Kathryn Tanksley

a lawyer Judge Tanksley's private

practice focused on civil litigation in the

areas of personal injury, medical mal-

practice, and insurance defense. She has

been married to Charles B. Tanksley,

State Senator for the 32nd District and

Cobb County private practicing attor-

ney, since 1988. The couple has three

children Larkie, Jeptha, and Branch.

The Judge is a member of Northside

United Methodist Church where she

teaches 11th and 12th grade Sunday

School classes. In her spare time she

enjoys playing tennis, running, scrap-

booking, needlepoint, and reading. She

took office in January 2003.

Page 3

DEKALB COUNTY

Judge Janis C. Gordon was appointed

to the State Court judgeship in DeKalb

County by former Governor Roy Barnes

in December of

2002. Judge Gordon

received her

Bachelor's Degree

from Emory

University in 1975.

She went on to pur-

sue her Master's

Janis C. Gordon

Degree in Political Science at the University of

Chicago and graduated in 1976. She

earned her Law degree from Duke Law

School in 1979. Following graduation,

Judge Gordon joined the U.S.

Attorney's Office in Atlanta, Georgia

where she prosecuted violent crimes

cases for ten years. She worked briefly

in private practice and returned to the

U.S. Attorney's office where she

worked for seven years prosecuting

complex drug cases. In 1998 she moved

to the Organized Crime Strike Force

where she worked to prosecute large

multi-defendant organized crime cases.

Judge Gordon has been instrumental in

the prosecution of child prostitution

cases in Atlanta and was the first to

implement Federal Racketeering laws

(RICO) in these type cases. In October

of 2002, Judge Gordon briefed The

President and Mrs. Bush about the use

of RICO laws to battle the problem of

child prostitution. In November of 2002

she received the Attorney General's

Director's Award.

continued on page 4

Please Recycle

Page 4

Meet the New State Court Judges

Judge Johnny Panos was elected to fill a new state court position in DeKalb County in September of 2002. He earned his Bachelor's Degree from
Georgia State University and attended both Emory School of Law and Woodrow Wilson School of Law before earning his law degree in 1983. Johnny Panos Judge Panos has practiced in DeKalb County courts for more than twenty years. He has had a great deal of experience as a trial lawyer and is very involved in the DeKalb County community. Judge Panos has made a commitment to DeKalb county youth and makes himself available to speak to classes, youth groups, and community organizations about the justice system, identifying theft, and the dangers of drug, tobacco, & alcohol abuse. He has volunteered his time as an Officer of the Court in the DeKalb Youth Diversion Program which enlists volunteers to work with first-time offenders who have committed non-violent misdemeanors. Judge Panos and his wife Maxene have lived in Decatur for more than twenty years. They have one daughter. The family is a member of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in DeKalb.

EFFINGHAM COUNTY

Judge Ronald (Ronnie) K. Thompson

was born in Savannah, Georgia on

March 6, 1962. He

received a BS in

PICTURE NOT
AVAILABLE

History from Armstrong State College in 1987 and his law degree from

the Cumberland

School of Law in

Ronald K. Thompson

1990. Before hold-

ing the position of State Court Judge he served as the managing partner in the Rincon law firm of Cheek, Haeussler, & Thompson. His practice focused on real estate, criminal defense, and general civil litigation. Judge Thompson is a neutral registered with the Office of Dispute Resolution in Georgia and served as Municipal Court Judge for the city of Rincon from 1995 to 1997. Ronnie and his wife, Tracey, have two sons, Philip and Jacob. They live on a 40-acre blueberry farm in rural Effingham County. He and his family are active members of the Goshen United Methodist Church. Judge Thompson was sworn in as State Court Judge in Effingham County on December 27, 2002.

EVANS COUNTY

On December 23, 2002, Judge Ronald

Hallman was sworn in as State Court

Judge in Evans County. Judge Hallman

was elected in the

summer of 2002. A

native of Blackshear,

he received his BA in

political science from

Georgia Southern

University in 1972

and his law degree

Ronald Hallman

from the University of Georgia in 1975.

He has practiced law in Claxton for the

past twenty-seven years. He has also

served as the Evans County School

Board Attorney for the past twenty-five

years. Judge Hallman is married to

Elizabeth Beasley Hallman. He has two

sons, Jake and Ben. In his spare time

Judge Hallman enjoys boating, fishing,

gardening, and the Georgia Bulldogs.

State Court Judges Newsletter

FORSYTH COUNTY

Judge Philip C. Smith was born in

North Atlanta. He is a graduate of

Vanderbilt University and the

University of Georgia

School of Law. He

PICTURE NOT
AVAILABLE

was admitted to the Bar in 1979. Judge Smith has practiced

law in both Cherokee

and Forsyth counties

for twenty years. He

Philip C. Smith served as the City

Judge of Canton for

ten years and as an Associate Juvenile

Court Judge for five years in the Blue

Ridge Circuit. In addition to serving on

the faculty of the UGA Institute of

Continuing Judicial Education, Judge

Smith also served as District Attorney

for the Bell-Forsyth Judicial Circuit

when the position was created in 1998.

Judge Smith is married to Pam Boles.

The couple lives in the Midway

Community.

GRADY COUNTY

John W. Bass, Sr. was sworn into the

State Court of Grady County in

December of 2002. Judge Bass hails

from Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. He

received his BS

degree in Building

PICTURE NOT
AVAILABLE

Science in 1971 from Auburn University and went on to grad-

uate with a law

degree from Florida

State University in

John W. Bass, Sr.

1985. He has practiced law in Cairo for

seventeen years and has practiced law

along with his son John William Bass,

Jr. for the past six years. Judge Bass

served on the Municipal Court bench of

Whigham for ten years. He has served

in the United States Army Reserves in

continued on page 5

State Court Judges Newsletter

Page 5

Meet the New State Court Judges

Florida and in the National Guard where he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and retired with twenty-three years of service. The Judge has also served on the Grady County School Board and is a member of the Grady County Hospital Authority. His wife, Celia, teaches Chemistry at Cairo High School and chairs the Science Department. They are the proud parents of two sons, Bill, Jr., a partner at the Bass Law Firm, and Joel, a timber harvester. In his spare time Judge Bass enjoys woodworking, working on the farm, and playing with his 2 year old grandson Cooper.

HENRY COUNTY

Judge James Troy Chafin III began

serving on the State Court Bench of

Henry County in

January of 2003.

PICTURE NOT
AVAILABLE

Judge Chafin is a seventh generation Henry County resident and a member of

the United Methodist

Church in

James Troy Chafin, III

McDonough. After his graduation in

1970 from Henry County High School,

he was appointed to the United States

Military Academy at West Point. He

earned his BS degree in 1974 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Judge Chafin earned his pilot wings while flying B-52's on active duty. He completed active duty in 1979 and serves in the USAF Reserve as a Colonel assigned to the Defense Logistics Agency at Fort Belvoir, Virginia where he also serves as Deputy Director of the Joint Reserve Forces. Judge Chafin returned to McDonough in 1980 to work in the family furniture business. During this time the Judge earned his law degree from Georgia State University and went to work for the law firm of Crumbley and Crumbley in 1988. He became a partner of the firm in 1992. In 1996 Judge Chafin ran for U.S. Congress for the Third Congressional District. He won the Democratic primary but lost the general election. In 1997 he opened his own law firm in McDonough. He has represented the Henry County Department of Family & Children Services on a part time basis until December 2002 and was the Municipal Court Judge for the city of McDonough from 1998 until December of 2002. Judge Chafin is married to the former Sally Lee Turner also of McDonough. They are the parents of two children Barbara, 24, and James, 22.

TURNER COUNTY Judge John Holland is a life-long resident of the city of Ashburn in Turner County. He earned both his undergradu-
ate and law degree from the University of Georgia. Judge Holland is a partner along with his brother in the law firm of Holland & Holland in Ashburn. Over the John Holland years Judge Holland has conducted the general practice of law in the city of Ashburn serving as City Attorney for both Ashburn and Sycamore. He has also served as the attorney for the Turner County Board of Education and as the County attorney for Turner County. For the past three years Judge Holland has served as Chairman on the Administrative Board of the First United Methodist Church in Ashburn. He and his wife Eva Lynn enjoy taking weekend trips to Lake Oconee, UGA football, occasional ski trips, and their two cats, Ritz and Fritz. Judge Holland was sworn in by Governor Roy Barnes on October 15, 2002.

2003-2004 Georgia Courts Directory Update

Production of the AOC's 2003-2004 Georgia Courts Directory will soon be underway. Address Verification
postcards will be in the mail soon.
Please return your card ASAP!
NOTE: If you're a judge in more than one court, you may receive more than one card. Please return all cards

INFORMATION VERIFICATION
Please verify your address information (as of July 1, 2003) and check the appropriate box. Indicate any necessary changes. If your phone/fax numbers have changed within the past 12 months, please write them in.
If you would like your e-mail address to appear in the directory, write it on the line provided.

o No changes are needed

o I have indicated changes below

P L E AFFIX LABEL HERE

S A M Phone Number

Fax Number

E-Mail Address (optional)

Please return this card by June 20. Thank you! Georgia Courts Directory UPDATE

Page 6
All About the Council

The Council would like to express its best wishes to the spouses of Chief Judge Cook (Gwinnett), Judge Thompson (Effingham), and Judge Thrower (Baldwin) for recoveries from illness and operation.
The Council would like to extend congratulations to our newest Chief Judges:
The Honorable Melodie Clayton, Cobb County
The Honorable David Dickinson, Forsyth County
The Honorable Mat Robins, DeKalb County
The Honorable Ben Studdard Henry County
HE's BACK ... and we are glad! Please welcome back Judge Bryant (Toombs) from possibly the shortest retirement in State Court history. After resigning to unsuccessfully run for a Superior Court seat last summer, he was reappointed to our bench.
CONGRATULATIONS to Judge Carbo (Clayton), again, for coaching the Jonesboro High School Mock Trial Team to its second straight Georgia State Championship this winter! We wish you the very best at the national competition. Furthermore, THANK YOU to Judge Lawrence (Clarke), Chair, Mock Trial Committee, the committee members and all of our other judges who have volunteered their time to make this year's Mock Trial Program the best ever.
Judge Forsling (Fulton) served as a panelist discussing Dialog and Reflections on the Relationship between Judges and Lawyers to attendees at the Atlanta Bar Association, Litigation Section's program "We Can Work It

Out" in Atlanta on January 31st. Judge Wong (DeKalb) served as a Program Co-Chair and Judge Forsling (Fulton) served as a panelist at the Institute for Continuing Legal Education's (ICLE) program "Bare Knuckles with the Judges" in Atlanta on March 20th. Judge Wong (DeKalb) also served as a panelist discussing Perspectives from the Bench at the Institute for Continuing Legal Education's (ICLE) program "Motion Practice" in Atlanta on April 18th and spoke on Courtroom Demeanor: Dealing with the Bench at the Institute for Continuing Legal Education's (ICLE) program "Civil Litigation for Younger Lawyers" in Atlanta on April 25th. Judge Newkirk (Fulton) spoke on Technology the Court Appreciates at the Institute for Continuing Legal Education's (ICLE) program "Technology Show and Tell" in Atlanta on April 24th. Judge Prodgers (Cobb) was the featured luncheon speaker on Feeding the State and Defense from the Same Spoon (Professionalism) at the Institute for Continuing Legal Education's (ICLE) program "Georgia DUI Law Update" in Atlanta on May 2nd.
Executive Director: On February 26th, Stephan (the nurse told me that I did an excellent job shoveling ice into my wife's mouth) and Gail had a baby boy, Noah, to join our first son, Liam. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces and, at no mileage charge to the Council, we have visited our judges' workplaces in Atlanta, Canton, Cumming, Lawrenceville, and Marietta in the late evening hours to get an early start on civics (OK, it was really to combat his colic).

State Court Judges Newsletter
DIRECTORY: We have added a new section for former State Court judges to let you know of their whereabouts as well as to keep them a part of the State Court family. Due to this, as well as the need to update the Executive Committee and other Committees, we will be printing our next edition this summer. If you have any information on former judges (specifically name, county where they were a State Court judge and current contact number), please let me know and I will track them down. Furthermore, there is now also more time to submit your picture if you have not done so.
We have had to let our Administrative Assistant, Tequania Hunt, go. We wish her the best in her future endeavors.
The legal aide for the House Judiciary Committee this legislative session is interested in becoming a law clerk in the greater Atlanta area. A member of the bar, she graduated from UGA law in 2002; thereby rectifying the mistake of attending Florida State for her undergraduate work. If you are interested in interviewing her, please let me know.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION: Since the legislature is still in session at publication deadline, I will update you on legislation and judge for the day program in our next issue.
If you have information about yourself or your fellow Council members, please call Stephan to let him know for future editions of the newsletter.

State Court Judges Newsletter

Page 7

Spring Conference Committee Meetings

Brasstown Valley Resort Young Harris, GA

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 12:00pm 1:00pm Case Counting Standards (Judge Cook - Chair) Judges Adams (Bibb), Gober and Prodgers [Lunch] (Location TBD)
1:00pm 2:30pm Nominating (Judge Little - Chair) Judges Braun, Carbo, Cole, Doremus, Lawrence, and Turner [Lunch] (Location TBD)
1:00pm 2:30pm Appointments (Judge Castellanos - Chair) Judges Brown-Reynolds, Campbell (Bridgette), Peppers, Turner and Wong [Lunch] (Location TBD)
2:30pm 4:00pm Education (Judge McLaughlin - Chair) Judges Campbell (Bridgette), Carbo, Cole, Cook, Hamrick, Jordan, Little, Mock, Purdom, Reeves, Robins, South, Studdard and Richard Reaves [Snacks] (Location TBD)
3:00pm 4:00pm Legislative (Judges Newkirk & Slaby Co-Chairs) Judges Braun, Carriere, Castellanos, Darden, DelCampo, Dickinson, Doremus, Forsling, Fowler, Fuller, Gillis, Ginsberg, Gober, Highsmith, Iannazzone, Jordan, Tanksley, Thompson (Fulton), Wong and Wynne [Snacks] (Location TBD)
4:00pm 5:30pm Strategic Planning (Judge Purdom - Chair) Judges Braun, Carney, Carriere, Cole, Cook, Doremus, Fuller, Ginsberg, Iannazzone, Lawrence, Little, McDuff, Peppers, Todd and Vines [Snacks] (Location TBD)

Wednesday, May 14, 2003 9:00am 10:15am Executive Committee Breakfast (Judge Clayton - President) Judges Adams (Bibb), Braun, Carney, Cole, Fuller, Gordon (Wayne), Iannazzone, Newkirk, Thrower, Turner, Vines [Breakfast] (Location TBD)
9:00am 10:00am New Judge Mentoring (Judge Little - Chair) Judges Carbo, Castellanos, Cowen, Mikell, Salter, Sams, Todd and Richard Reaves [Breakfast] (Location TBD)
Judges needing orientation [postSeptember 2002] so far are: 1) Jim Chafin, III (Henry); 2) Janis Gordon (DeKalb); 3) Ronald Hallman (Evans); 4) E. Preston Johnson (Appling); 5) Philip Smith (Forsyth); 6) Kathryn Tanksley (Cobb).
10:00am 11:00am Uniform Rules (Judge Doremus - Chair) Judges Graves (City Court of Atlanta), Robins, Sullivan and Thompson (Effingham) [Snacks] (Location TBD)
10:00am 10:45am Technology/Computer (Judge Benefield - Chair) Judges Adams (Bibb), Dettmering, Iannazzone, McDuff, Sams and Studdard [Snacks] (Location TBD)
10:45am 11:30pm Benchbook (Judge Purdom - Chair) Judges Adams (Bibb), Iannazzone, McDuff and Studdard [Snacks] (Location TBD)

11:30am 12:00pm Mock Trial (Judge Lawrence - Chair) Judges Braswell, Little, Mock, Prodgers, Salter and South (Location TBD)
12:00pm MAIN PROGRAM BEGINS FOR THE DAY (see next page)
5:00pm MAIN PROGRAM ENDS FOR THE DAY (see next page)
5:00pm 5:30pm Council District Meetings - Each district will simply go to a different section of the main room, step outside onto the porch or sit in the lobby. Each District Chair will let you know at the end of the Main Program.
5:30pm 6:00pm Personnel (Judge Cole - Chair) Judges Little, Newkirk and Vines (Location TBD)
7:00pm-9:00pm Council Dinner (Location TBD)
If your name has accidentally been left off of
a particular committee, please call Stephan at the Council office to let him
know. Best wishes and I look forward to seeing you at Brasstown Valley!

Page 8

State Court Judges Newsletter

Spring Conference Education Agenda

Brasstown Valley Resort Young Harris, GA Brasstown Valley Hotel & Conference Center May 14 - 16, 2003 [15 MCJE hrs / 10.4 MCLE hrs]

Wednesday, May 14, 2003 [4 MCJE hrs & 3.8 MCLE hrs]

12:00

Jury Charges in Typical State Court Cases (civil & criminal) [1CJE/.8CLE] State Court Judge Bob Mock, Gwinnett County

1:00 or

[A] Scientific Evidence & Distinguishing "Junk" Science [1.5CJE/1.5CLE-triprac] State Court Judge Wayne Purdom, DeKalb County [B] Traffic Code & DMVS Procedures Update [1.5CJE/1.5CLE] Mr. Darien Mize, DMVS, Villa Rica, GA

2:30 Business Meeting: Council of State Court Judges

3:30 or

[B] Traffic Code & DMVS Procedures Update [1.5CJE/1.5CLE] Mr. Darien Mize, DMVS, Villa Rica [C] Certified Intervention Programs for FV / DV Batterers [1CJE/.8CLE] State Court Judge Jeanette Little, Troup County Ms. Julie Koob & Ms. TBA, Atlanta, GA

7:00 Group Dinner

Friday, May 16, 2003 [4 MCJE hrs & 3.3 MCLE hrs]

8:00 Ordinance & Misdemeanor Sentencing of Immigrants [1CJE/.8CLE] Magistrate Court Judge Chung Lee, Gwinnett County Atty. Terry Byrd, INS, Atlanta, GA

9:00 Judicial Retirement Program Options [1.5CJE/1.5CLE] Mr. Cedric Williams, Atlanta, GA

10:00

Georgia Evidence Law: Permissible & Impermissible Judicial Comment [2CJE/1.7CLE-triprac] Atty. John Marshall, Atlanta, GA

Thursday, May 15, 2003 [7 MCJE hrs & 3.3 MCLE hrs]

8:00 Legal Counsel: Presence, Appointment, Waiver [2CJE/ 1.7CLE] State Court Judge John Carbo, Clayton County

10:00 Probation Revocation Proceedings [1CJE/ .8CLE] State Court Judge Kent Lawrence, Clarke County

11:00

Judicial Ethics Update: Election & Political Conduct After "Weaver" [1CJE/.8CLE-ethics] Superior Court Judge Steve Jones, Athens, GA

12:00 Group Luncheon

1:30 Judging & Humanities Immersion: How American Indians Transformed the World [3CJE] Dr. Joseph Kitchens, Waleska, GA Director, Funk Heritage Center (for Appalachian & Native American Studies)

State Court Judges Newsletter

Page 9

Just Look What You'll Miss...

Food! Fun!

...If You Miss Out
on Brasstown in May

Smile for the Camera!

Entertainment

Page 10

State Court Judges Newsletter

Don't Miss Out on All the Fun

Stimulating Conversation!

Great Company!

State Court Judges Newsletter

Page 11

this May at Brasstown Valley Resort

Friends &
Food!

And Don't Forget the
Classes!

Page 12

WANTED

State Court Judges Newsletter

All Golfers: Tee Time Starting at 1:28 p.m. Thursday, May 15
Cost of Play: $41 and Change
Please Notify Donny (706-638-1664) in advance or Donny or Maurice on Wednesday at the Conference.

State Court Judges Newsletter

Page 13

Proposed Constitutional Amendment

The following amendment to the Constitution of THE COUNCIL OF STATE COURT JUDGES OF GEORGIA may be offered at the Annual membership meeting at Brasstown.
Article IV, Section 3 shall be amended to provide as follows: Election and Term. The officers of this Council shall be nominated as herein provided and shall be elected at each Annual Meeting, shall take office immediately July 1 of the year in which they are elected and hold office for one year and until their successors are duly nominated, elected and qualified.

Reason for Proposal The Judicial Council of Georgia reg-
ularly meets in June of each year. Under current provisions of the law creating the Judicial Council (and of this Constitution) our representatives on that Council are required to be our President and President-Elect. The reservations for said meeting must be made in advance for those planning to attend. The term we are now using may not allow for sufficient time for the newlyelected President-Elect to prepare for that meeting, since we have gone away from the automatic progression through each office to President and PresidentElect.

Requirements to Pass Constitutional Amendment
Article X provides as follows: Any proposed amendment to these Articles may be introduced at any scheduled meeting of the Council, provided that notice of such proposed amendment be sent to the membership not later than ten (10) days prior to the meeting. It shall be adopted if approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the members present at said meeting or by a majority of the membership.
This mailing should be to you by 10 days prior to the membership meeting. Please be thinking about it and be ready to vote if it is actually proposed at the meeting.

Page 14

State Court Judges Newsletter

Reducing Recidivism of DUI Offenders

The National Judicial College's Reducing Recidivism of DUI Offenders was held in Atlanta on December 4-6th. This course was put on due to a grant that Debra Nesbit, Assistant Director for Legislative and Governmental Affairs for the AOC, obtained from NHTSA (National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration) for the set-up of pilot DUI Court programs in three of our jurisdictions (Chatham, Clarke and Hall counties). A main component of this program is the collection and compilation of data from all courts involved so that accurate and complete analysis can be made of DUI recidivism on a macro scale. Another benefit of this program is that it will meet all requirements for a defendant to obtain his driver's license back from DMVS. Most importantly, the proponents of the program feel that

this is truly an excellent opportunity to permanently prevent recidivism by realistically getting individuals to change their behaviors. Participants included Judges Fowler and Ginsberg (Chatham), Judge Lawrence (Clarke) and Judge Wynne (Hall) as well as Judge Gober (Cherokee) who is also interested in the program.
Judge Lawrence has already been operating a home grown project similar to this in Clarke County and is extremely enthusiastic about this program. If you are interested or have any questions, please feel free to contact him at (706) 613-3200 or Debra Nesbit at (404) 651-7616. If these pilot programs are successful, then there is a chance that more grant money will be made available for other courts to start up their own program.

State Court Judges Newsletter

Page 15

Burke County Victim Impact Program

Judge Jerry Daniel, State Court of Burke County, is a big supporter of changing the destructive behavior of

the defendants that he

sentences. Thanks to

some dedicated individ-

uals, his support to and

encouragement of the

Victim Impact Program

is bearing fruit. Simple

and effective, this pro-

gram has been making a strong effect on DUI

Judge Jerry Daniel

and Reckless Driving offenders in Burke

County.

Founded and administered by Barbara

Miller, an outstanding community leader

and activist, it is truly a team effort as the

Judge, based upon recommendations from

the Solicitor's office, sentences violators

to attend the program as a condition of

probation. Ensuring that this program

receives high priority, Mike Popplewell,

President of CSRA Probation Services,

Inc., ensures that probationers report to

the program, which takes place every

other month from approximately 6:30pm

these intensely personal accounts make

8:00pm. Furthermore, the Sheriff's

such an impact is that Burke County is a

Department provides additional assis-

relatively small community where there is

tance. Ms. Miller works tirelessly to

a much greater chance that offenders

ensure that facilities are arranged, that

know the actual victims or their families.

presenters are scheduled and that the pro-

According to Judge Daniel, "having

gram flows

such wonderful

smoothly among

individuals as

other responsibili-

Barbara Miller,

ties.

Solicitor Jackson

At the pro-

Cox, Gloria

gram, which is an

Johnson [Staff to

open forum

Solicitor], Sheriff

designed for 15-20

Gregory T.

participants, 1 or 2

Coursey and

actual victims or

Mike Popplewell

family members/close friends give a graphic portrayal

Judge Daniel (Burke), Barbara Miller, Founder and Facilitator of the Burke County Victim Impact Program, Gloria Johnson, Burke County Solicitor's Office, and Mike Popplewell, President, CSRA Probation Services, Inc.

allow this court to do the best job possible in reducing recidivism."

of the anguish and horror that they have

Our best wishes and congratulations to all

had to suffer as a result of their violators

involved in making this program such a

bad choices. Effect is also conveyed by

success and anyone wishing to find out

the showing of personal items such as a

more information may contact Judge

wedding dress which was purchased, but

Daniel at (706) 554-5522.

not able to be worn. One reason that

Appellate Reception Reminder

Our Annual Appellate Reception is coming up, and we need you! First, the probable schedule for Council of State Court Judges events at Amelia Island (please note that this may be subject to change): Due to budget limitations, we have scheduled all of our Council activities around Friday, late afternoon/ evening and Saturday morning. Reimbursement will be determined by your officers at the Spring Conference (may include Friday night's lodging for up to $172.00 a room).

Saturday, June 14th 9:30am 11:30am Council of State Court Judges Executive Committee and possible other Committee Meetings

Friday, June 13th 4:30pm 7:30pm Council of State Court Judges Appellate Reception

NOTE 1: IF YOU ARE GOING TO ATTEND, please call to make reservations by May 9th to ensure that you get a room at the State Bar rate. The resort is the

Amelia Island Plantation, 6800 First Coast Highway, Amelia Island (just north of Jacksonville), FL 32034; (888) 261-6165.
NOTE 2: Appetizers will be served at the Appellate Reception. Dinner will be on your own. Breakfast will be served to you on Saturday morning.
NOTE 3: The summer Judicial Council meeting will NOT be held in conjunction with the State Bar's Annual Meeting. The summer Judicial Council Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 11th at 9:00am in Savannah, GA at the Hyatt Regency Savannah with a possible Judicial Council reception the night before.

Quiz Time:

Which One is

Counting and

Which One is

Counting

Sheep?

*

*

*Names withheld for protection of the community .

Council of State Court Judges
244 Washington Street, Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30334

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

JUDGE MELODIE CLAYTON President Cobb County
JUDGE CARLTON VINES President-Elect Chattooga County
JUDGE DAVID FULLER Secretary Gwinnett County
JUDGE BRENDA COLE Treasurer Fulton County
JUDGE LEON BRAUN, JR. Immediate Past President Liberty County
STEPHAN J. FRANK Executive Director
ASHLEY G. STOLLAR Graphic Design

JUDGE JACK E. CARNEY, JR. District 1 Bryan County
JUDGE RAYMOND S. GORDON, JR. District 2 Wayne County
JUDGE KELLY D. TURNER District 3 Lowndes County
JUDGE WILLIAM P. ADAMS District 4 Bibb County
JUDGE ALAN W. THROWER District 5 Baldwin County
JUDGE JOSEPH IANNAZZONE District 6 Gwinnett County
JUDGE HENRY M. NEWKIRK District 7 Fulton County
VACANT District 8