The Administrative Office of the Courts : a resource for Georgia's Judicial Branch

Administrative Support for Independent Agencies
COURT REPORTERS AND INTERPRETERS F Staffs the Board of Court Reporting and the
Commission on Court Interpreters;
F Sets testing, licensing, and continuing education requirements and standards of professional conduct for court reporters and court interpreters;
F Maintains a database of qualified court reporters and maintains registry of registered or certified court interpreters.
PRIVATE PROBATION F Staffs the County and Municipal Probation Advisory
Council, which regulates the work of some forty private probation companies in Georgia;
F Provides technical assistance to all levels of court regarding private probation services.
EQUITY IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM F Maintains a directory of certified sign-language
interpreters to assist the hearing-impaired in court;
F Staffs the Georgia Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts whose activities promote equal access to justice for all citizens.
Protecting Georgia's Children
F Administers the Supreme Court Child Placement Project to improve the juvenile court process for children who are victims of parental abuse and neglect; develops training, standards of practice, and case management guidelines;
F Administers the Model Courts Program, a nationwide effort to improve handling of child abuse and neglect cases.

The Administrative Office of the Courts was established by the Georgia General Assembly in 1973 to provide support services to judges and court officials. The Director of the AOC reports to the Judicial Council of Georgia, a policy-making body chaired by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia. In 1978, by Supreme Court order, the Judicial Council officially became an administrative arm of the Supreme Court. Twenty-four judges, representing the appellate and trial courts, are designated to serve on the Judicial Council. The Council meets at least three times each year. Special meetings are called by the Chief Justice if needed.
Administrative Office of the Courts
244 Washington Street, SW, Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-5171
David L. Ratley, Director
www.georgiacourts.org

The Administrative
Office of the Courts
A Resource for Georgia's Judicial
Branch

The Administrative Office of the Courts

Legislative Services
F Works closely with committees of the General Assembly to provide accurate information on the judicial branch;
F Monitors court-related legislation and prepares judicial impact statements upon request;
F Maintains a nationallyrecognized website offering daily legislative updates while the General Assembly is in session.

The AOC assists Georgia's court system in ways that range from gathering and analyzing data and certifying court reporters to winning grant funds and providing advanced case management software. Services provided by the AOC include:

Services to the Courts
F Acts as staff to councils that represent Georgia's Magistrate, Municipal and Probate Court judges, arranges and supports mandatory training meetings and business meetings; publishes judicial benchbooks, handbooks, and newsletters;
F Provides facilities planning consulting services to courts.

F Liaison with DHR Office of Child Support Enforcement and other state and federal agencies;
F Assists courts in applying for and managing external grants to fund specialized programs, such as DUI courts and other programs;
F Offers training programs on court business processes and revenue collection.

Public Outreach & Communications
F Compiles and publishes the Georgia Courts Directory, Georgia Courts Journal, and Annual Report.
F Promotes better understanding of the role of Georgia's courts and judicial system;
F Maintains www.georgiacourts.org which provides up-to-date information on the courts and includes links to court forms and processes.

SERVING Judges Court Administrators Clerks Court Reporters Public

Research and Data Collection
F Conducts an annual case count for the superior courts, to analyze the need for additional superior court judgeships;
F Responds to requests for statistical and legal information from legislators, judges, court personnel, and the public;
F Conducts an annual survey of court personnel salaries;
F Identifies trends, changing demographics and other factors that affect the administration of justice.

Fiscal and Budget Support
F Prepares and submits the annual Judicial Council budget request; compiles the Judicial Branch request;
F Receives and disburses funds appropriated by the General Assembly to judicial branch agencies;
F Administers payroll for juvenile court judges, the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, and others;
F Prepares financial statements for audit presentations on behalf of judicial agencies.

Legal Services
F Represents AOC in legal matters;
F Negotiates and monitors contracts for services with outside agencies and individuals;
F Liaison with the State Bar of Georgia and its committees.

Information Technology
F Provides advanced information technology products to Georgia courts;
F Provides technical support to courts throughout the state;
F Supplies, installs, and maintains sophisticated on-line case-management software that streamlines the process of filing and managing court records and documents;
F Offers a jury selection program to compile lists of potential jurors from county voter rolls.