official informal meeting minutes tuesday, october …€¦ · official . informal meeting minutes...

Official Informal Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, October 13, 2015 – 12:00 PM Present: Charlotte J. Nash, Jace Brooks, Lynette Howard, Tommy Hunter

Absent: John Heard

1. Chairman’s Gwinnett Justice & Administration Tour The Board of Commissioners toured the Gwinnett Justice &

Administration Center. Presentations were given by Court Officials. No Official Action Taken.

Gwinnett Judicial Circuit 2015 BOC Tour

“We Produce a Safe Community”

Probate Court

Honorable Christopher A. Ballar Probate Court Judge

Probate Court Exercises Jurisdiction Over:

• Guardianships and Conservatorships of Adults and Minors • Probate of Wills • Administration of Estates • Year’s Support (12 Month Support)

• Involuntary Hospitalization

• Involuntary Mental Health Evaluations • Weapons Carry Licenses • Marriage Licenses • Fireworks Permits • Birth and Death Certificates • Certificates of Residence • Administer Oaths and Maintain Bonds of Elected Officials

Office Organization

• 29 Employees (24 F/T 5 P/T) • The Probate Court office is in two locations

within GJAC – Records and Licenses Division

• 5 Windows, 1 photo booth – Estate/Guardianship Division

• 4 Windows • 1 full-time mail processor

New Conveniences

Credit Cards • Began August, 2015

• $35,000 processed in August Birth & Death Certificates

• Can process them for all counties Wedding Appointments

• Schedule online Pro Bono Clinic

• 3rd Thursday of every month

Estates

Guardianships

Accountings

1,665

1,902

Weapons Carry Licenses

9,782 10,000

Marriages

6,354 6,690

Birth & Death Certificates Issued January - July

23,931

44,083

Orders Created

8,114 8,126

Magistrate Court

Honorable Kristina Hammer Blum Chief Magistrate

Magistrate Court Structure

• Operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, including nights, weekends & all holidays

• Is located at GJAC & the Jail Court Annex • Directly accessible to the self-represented public

and law enforcement • Staff includes:

– 1 Chief Magistrate (elected) – 5 Full Time Magistrates – 17 Part Time Magistrates – 1 Court Services Supervisor – 4 Calendar Coordinators – Approximately 20 Clerks (assigned)

Magistrate Court Civil Jurisdiction

• Civil Cases less than $15,000 • Garnishment Actions • Post-Judgment Collection • Landlord/Tenant Cases • Family Violence/Temporary Protective Orders

(by Designation) • Abandoned Motor Vehicle Claims • Personal Property Foreclosures

Magistrate Court Criminal Jurisdiction

• Arrest Warrants • Search Warrants • Citizen Warrant Application Hearings • First Appearance Hearings • Preliminary/Commitment Hearings

Magistrate Court Provides Judicial Assistance to Other Courts

Superior Court: • Full Time Magistrates assist Superior Court in all matters Civil,

Criminal & Domestic • Magistrate Court is designated to handle all applications and

trials on Petitions for Relief under the Family Violence & Stalking Acts (Protective Orders)

State Court: • Magistrate Court provides additional and replacement

assistance, as needed, to State Court • Part Time Magistrates handle the Jail Plea and Revocation

Program Other Courts: • Magistrate Court provides additional and replacement

assistance, as needed, to all other Courts in this Circuit as well as providing assistance to other Circuits in conflict cases

In 2014, Magistrates handled over 90,000 civil and criminal cases!

Magistrate Court Filings

52% increase in cases filed since 2005

Magistrate Court Filings only. No assistance cases included.

2014

Total Cases Filed Cases Per Day Cases Per Week

90,545 347 1,741

Magistrate Court Filings

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Small Claims 18,138 19,084 19,656 18,741 16,937

Dispossessions 25,374 25,899 25,825 23,962 23,893

Other Civil 15,543 24,841 27,008 27,745 26,221

Criminal 23,839 24,160 24,097 24,305 23,491

Solicitor’s Office

Rosanna M. Szabo Solicitor-General

Solicitor’s Structure Organization

Underfilled PositionsVAP Funded PositionsVacant PositionsPart-Time Positions

20004511Solicitor

20004514Legal Mgr

20004528IT Asc II

20004536Legal Asc I

20004654Intern

20004526Intern

2004527Intern

20004517Attorney, Sup

20004500Attorney I

20004529Legal Supv

20004509Attorney II

20004504Attorney I

20004537Legal Asc I

20004653Victim Witnes

20005184Attorney I

20004509Attorney I

20004539Legal Asc I


20005860Attorney II

20004505Attorney I

20004541Legal Asc I


20004525Clerk

20005702Clerk

20004507Attorney II

20004506Attorney I

20004655Legal Asc I


20004510Attorney II

20004508Attorney I

20004543Legal Asc I


20004515Attorney II

20004503Attorney I

20004540Legal Asc II


20004516Attorney II

20004522Atty PT Jail

20004656Legal Supv

20004544Legal Asc I

20004542Legal Mgr




20004534Legal Asc I

20004538Legal Asc I

20004545Legal Asc I

2006003Chief Investig

20004532Investigator





20004535Investigator P

20004523Investigat…

20004524Attorney II

20004502Attorney II

20004501Attorney I

20004499Attorney I

20004546Legal Supv

20004512Legal Asc I


20004533Court Asc I

Staffing Comparison Per Capita

County Judge Staff Population Per Capita

Gwinnett 6 48 859,304 17,903

Dekalb 7 93 713,340 7,671

Cobb 12 70 717,190 10,246

Fulton 10 101 984,293 9,746

Clayton 5 38 264,220 6,954

Richmond 4 37 202,003 5,460

5,460 6,954 7,671

10,246 9,746

17,903

Recorder’s Court Citations Received

97,142 99,934 91,076 106,616 104,983

111,408

School Bus Camera Citations Received

State Court Cases Received

8,761

State Court Pending Cases

3,280

2,383

3,722

3,148

4,761

3,591

State Court

Honorable Pamela D. South Chief Judge

STATE COURT

• State Court is a trial court with limited jurisdiction. • Cases include misdemeanors as well as traffic

violations. • These cases are prosecuted by the Solicitor's Office. • Civil cases handled by State Court include torts,

contract actions, product liability, medical malpractice, and personal injury.

• State Court can also handle all other civil actions except where the Superior Court has exclusive jurisdiction such as divorce, equity, and title to land.

State Court Filings

12% decrease in cases filed since 2005 2014


21,050 81 405

State Court Filings

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Civil 17,028 21,771 29,033 34,087 36,950 33,159 20,204 15,376 13,131 12,048

Criminal 6,807 7,311 7,939 10,518 8,737 10,565 9,072 8,461 9,174 9,002

State Court Citizens per Judge

2014 Population (U.S. Census) / 2015 Judgeships

State Court Cases per Judge

2013 Caseload / 2015 Judgeships

District Attorney

Danny Porter District Attorney

1999 - 2014 DEFENDANTS D.A. NUMBERS, DISPOSITIONS, INDICTMENTS

AND PENDING

Superior Court

Honorable Melodie Snell Conner Chief Judge

SUPERIOR COURT

• Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction. • The Superior Court has exclusive Constitutional authority

over all felony cases, domestic cases, cases involving title to real property and any case seeking equitable relief.

• These cases are prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office.

• The Superior Court also has jurisdiction to correct errors made by lower courts by issuing certiorari; as well as hearing direct appeals from the Board of Worker’s Compensation, Department of Labor (unemployment benefits) and lower courts such as municipal courts.

Superior Court Judges

Melodie Snell Conner

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

Debra K. Turner

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

R. Timothy Hamil

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

Ronnie K. Batchelor

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

Tom Davis

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

Warren Davis

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

Karen E. Beyers

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

Kathryn M. Schrader

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

George F. Hutchinson, III

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

Randolph G. Rich

Judicial Assistant

Calendar Clerk

Law Clerk

State Position Reimbursement

Position Number of Employees

Salary Reimbursement

Judicial Assistants 10 $468,317.88

Law Clerks 3 $129,465.00

Yearly Total 13 $597,782.88

Gwinnett County Ethnic Distribution 2000-2013

Superior Court Filings

1% decrease in cases filed since 2005 2014


18,407 71 354

Superior Court Filings

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Domestic 7,694 7,764 7,622 7,690 8,028

Family Violence 2,768 2,665 2,619 2,393 2,568

Civil 3,198 3,092 3,012 2,782 2,582

Criminal 6,151 6,500 6,073 5,571 5,267

Superior Court Citizens per Judge

2014 Population (U.S. Census) / 2015 Judgeships

Superior Court Cases per Judge

2014 Caseload / 2015 Judgeships

Accountability Courts Grant Funding

• Total Grant Awards

• 2015 Projects – Replace counsel tables (54) in the courtrooms – Video conferencing system in the courtroom – Replace furniture in five offices

7/2014 – 6/2015 $781,716 7/2015 – 7/2016 $1,004,264

Interpreters

• In 2014, we received 2,690 requests for 44 different languages.

• We have approximately 9 interpreters working in

our courtrooms on a daily basis.

Interpreter Expenditures

Jury Selection

• Our jury pool is comprised of individuals who are registered to vote or hold a state ID in Gwinnett County.

• Currently there are 498,206 individuals in the jury pool.

• On average, 1,400 individuals are summoned to jury duty each week.

• One Day – One Trial

Issues With Jury Selection

• Language barriers – The need to call in more jurors to accommodate.

• Accounting for disqualifying factors and outdated information from DDS and Voter Registration. – Non-Residents of Gwinnett County – Deceased – Over the age of 70 – Mentally/Physically handicapped or disabled – Non-US Citizens – Felons

• We summons 50% more than expected in order to account for the disqualifications.

Indigent Defense

• Bill of Rights – Art. 1, Section 1, Para. XIV – “every person

charged with an offense against the laws of this state shall have the privilege and benefit of counsel”.

• In 2014, we received 14,284 invoices for indigent defense totaling $4,025,557.

Indigent Defense Expenditures

Clerk Of Court

Richard T. Alexander, Jr. Clerk of Court

Clerk of Court Divisions

• Real Estate Records • Magistrate Court Records • State Court Records • Superior Court Records • Appeals, Adoptions, Garnishments • Information Technology • Board of Equalization (2011) • Accounting-Finance (2012)

Judicial Case History

-

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015FCST asof June

2017Proj.

2019Proj.

Judicial Cases

2M

3M

1M

Case Count and Workload 2014

Superior Court 22,088 Civil and Criminal Cases

Real Estate 177,911 Deeds, Liens, UCCs

Notary / Trade Names 4,871 Notaries and Trade Names

State Court 21,050 Civil and Criminal Cases

Appeals 239

Case Count and Workload 2014

Magistrate’s Court Total 90,544

Civil Cases 43,576

Garnishments 23,477

Warrants 21,577

Warrant Applications 1,708

Shoplifting Citations 206

Clerk’s Record Storage

Historical Documents

Clerk of Court Office Location

• Clerk is to be located in the courthouse. O.C.G.A. 36-9-6 Courthouse rooms to be used by county officers and O.C.G.A. 15-6-61.

• Clerk is required to grant public access to maps and plats O.C.G.A. 15-6-68 and all civil and criminal cases by Uniform Superior Court Rule 21.