Certification and Regulation Court Reporters The Court Services division acts as staff for the Board of Court Reporting. The mission of the Board of Court Reporting is to ensure the integrity and competency of the profession by setting and enforcing the standards by which court reporters are governed, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and providing for educational services. The Board of Court Reporting has developed and implemented testing, certification and disciplinary procedures for Georgia court reporters since 1974. The Board is comprised of two judges, two attorneys, and five certified court reporters. The Board of Court Reporting meets at least once quarterly to accomplish its duties. It conducts two certification exams per year and also offers reciprocity for passing either of the national exams, as well as some state exams. The Board also maintains the rules and regulations that govern the reporters of this state, by conducting disciplinary hearings when warranted. The Board of Court Reporting has drafted a handbook which is available to all court reporters within the state. The Handbook is compilation of rules, regulations, statutes, case law, and opinions and is available on the Board's website at www.georgiacourts.org The Board's website is updated regularly and forms and publications may be downloaded for individual use. Court Interpreters Court Services Division provides staffing needs for the Commission on Interpreters. The Georgia Commission on Interpreters was created in order to recruit, register, certify, license and govern the work and conduct of language interpreters in the courts of Georgia. The Commission has developed a Code of Professional Conduct for Interpreters as well as disciplinary guidelines for regulating behavior. It also administers the National Exams and provides informational support to court interpreters and the public. The Commission maintains a Registry of Registered and Certified Court Interpreters which can be found both online (at georgiacourts.org) and in print for distribution to judges, court administrators, and attorneys throughout the state. Those interested in becoming a court interpreter should possess native-like fluency in their foreign language as well as in English. Information about the registration and certification process may be found on the web or by calling the office of the Commission at 404-463-6478. Private Probation Services The Court Services Regulatory Section provides administrative support to the County and Municipal Probation Advisory Council which cers, Department of Corrections, and a municipal governing authority. Public meetings are held quarterly. Private probation companies provide supervisory regulates the work of private probation service compa- services for individuals convicted of misdemeanor nies throughout the state. The council is responsible offenses to ensure the terms of the probation are being for collecting data; processing background checks on met. all probation officers; and monitoring for compliance AOC staff also provides technical assistance to all with state regulations. The 11-member council is levels of court regarding private probation services. made up of judges from five levels of courts, and a Contact staff at 404-656-5171, or through the representative from the sheriffs, county commission- Probation Advisory Council website at www.georgia- ers, public probation officers, private probation offi- courts.org David L. Ratley Director 404-656-5171 Marla Moore Associate Director for Court Services 404-656-6447 Greg Arnold Assistant Director for Research 404-656-6413 Stephanie Chambliss Georgia Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts Program Manager 404-463-3927 Leslie Johnson Regulatory Program Manager 404-463-4198 Sharon Reiss Certification Program Manger 404-656-6422 Helen Scholes Court Information and Community Relations Officer 404-657-4219 The Administrative Office of the Courts serves all classes of courts and acts as secretariat to judicial branch agencies and committees. The agency takes a leadership role in projects to improve the court system and increase system responsiveness to the citizens it serves. The agency staffs the Judicial Council and works closely with the Supreme Court of Georgia. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS 244 Washington Street, SW Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30334 www.georgiacourts.org Court Services Division The Administrative Office of the Courts is charged with contributing to the efficient and orderly administration of Georgia's judicial system. Research Legal and Legislative Research Provides basic legal and legislative research service to all classes of courts; Issues Research and Legislative Memoranda summarizing research findings applicable to a question posed; Assists Councils of Probate, Magistrate, and Municipal Courts in the background of pending bills in the Legislature; may provide assistance in drafting legislation; Conducts research on issues, at the national level, on matters of judicial administration Judicial Liaison The Court Services division acts as liaison between the AOC and the councils that represent Georgia's magistrate, municipal, and probate court judges. It helps arrange and support educational and business meetings of these councils and separate Training Councils. Meetings are held several times a year. The section publishes judicial benchbooks, handbooks, and forms to keep judges abreast of current legal mandates. The section also publishes regular newsletters and manages listservs to help keep judges and court personnel informed. Other responsibilities include serving as the agency liaison with the Georgia Public Defenders Standards Council as well as other boards, commissions, and committees. Statistical Research Gathers, analyzes, and writes reports on data, broadly defined, on caseload from all trial courts, including the superior court "case count;" Gathers data to support programs to improve court administration; Analyzes data on criminal and civil cases for the AOC, Judicial Council, the executive, and legislative branches; Performs original research using a number of procedures: i) Court observation ii) Time to Disposition [procedures to expedite case processing] iii) Examines the dockets iv) Recommends strategies to improve the management of the dockets; Conducts demographic studies for court construction, circuit studies, and the need for additional human resources Prepares reports on judicial compensation and analyzes compensation comparisons; Analyzes and publishes all "official" census data for the judicial branch; Researches and responds to all national, regional, and local court surveys; Provides representation to the State Records Committee; Undertakes "time and motion" studies in conjunction with court observation data to assess, analyze, and make recommendations to the Judicial Council regarding time standards for judges. Advancing Equity in the Judicial System The AOC carries out the mandate of the Supreme Court Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts to promote gender equality and minimize racial and ethnic bias in all Georgia courts. It does this through education and training, research of issues, public hearings, focus groups, and collaboration with other agencies, boards and commissions. Additionally the AOC maintains a list of certified interpreters for the hearing impaired. This section serves as a resource for the community for information and/or referral in interpreting the judicial system's policies and procedures and provides assistance to community outreach programs, tours, and information services. Jury Management The Court Services division assists judges, court administrators and jury commissioners with issues involving jury management. It researches, publishes and distributes The Jury Commissioners Handbook, provides demographic information to counties to assist with balancing jury boxes, and works with software developers to insure jury management software meets requirements. Facilities Planning The AOC has an architect under contract to provide architectural consulting services for efficient courthouse design. The architect is available to assist counties that are planning to construct or remodel their courthouses. Service is provided to any court; Limited to three days per project; Provides needed liaison between county officials, architects and court personnel to determine the most efficient and effective means to construct, renovate, repair or more efficiently use court facilities The mission of the Court Services Division of the Administrative Office of the Courts is to contribute to the just, efficient, and orderly administration of Georgia's Judicial System. To that end, the Court Services Division works closely with judges and court personnel of all classes of court to assist them in education, training, planning, policy development, research, certifi- cation and regulation, and facilities planning so that the public may be better served.