I'll Allow It

Georgia Court Systems Begin Return To New Regularity

It is no secret that almost every industry pivoted very quickly in adapting to a work environment that is uncertain and unfamiliar. Professional services such as doctors, accountants, teachers, and attorneys all have special challenges to adapt to. For Powell & Edwards specifically, our “second office” in the Georgia court system took extraordinary steps to pause trials, severely limit the use of a jury, and shift a lot of filing to digital-only.

Over the past few weeks, developing stories from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Associated Press indicate the Georgia court system is poised to return to regular operation. Chief Justice Harold Melton will allow local jurisdictions to craft their own rules when deciding how to resume operations with considerations for social distancing of juries and continued remote hearings to remain in place.

“This broad prohibition cannot continue, even if the pandemic continues, because our judicial system, and the criminal justice system in particular, must have some capacity to resolve cases by indictment and trial,” Melton penned in his revised order allowing the change.

The lasting outcome of the closures, however, is these past few months allowed so many courts throughout Georgia to adopt and refine practices that will offer digital access to our court system across the state.

Though, it also means you may be seeing that “Jury Summons” letter in your mailbox sooner than you think.

Chief Justice Melton - Georgia Supreme Court

For our P&E offices, this change let us test and refine our own digital approach so that our attorneys, showcased here with partner Tony Powell, could argue in front of Chief Justice Melton and the other members of the Georgia Supreme Court as clearly as if they were in the chambers themselves. Having these digital conferencing tools proven at the highest level here in Georgia allows our P&E team to provide the determined advocacy our clients demand regardless of the situation at hand.