The Honorable Debra Bernes has died of cancer at the age of 54. Bill Rankin at the Atlanta Journal Constitution has posted an article on her passing and her career. Judge Bernes will be remembered for many things including her illustrious, albeit too short career on the Georgia Court of Appeals. Before beginning her service on the […]
There are two big stories in the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision in Jackson v. State. The first is that the rule of causation for felony murder that had been in place for thirty years has been changed. The second is that the majority has provided a framework for any appellant to use in future cases […]
00admin/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngadmin2010-07-19 13:45:322010-07-19 13:45:32A New Approach to Felony Murder and a New Template to Attack Precedent in Georgia
One of the problems with appellate law is that clients either show up too late or early. Some clients show up too late and too early. Too late is after the trial attorney has screwed things up, after a deadline has passed, or after the client took things into his own hands and dabbled in […]
Rob Teilhet’s controversial ad has made state and national news. According to the AJC and PolitiFact, the ad is “false.” In an interview with done by Andy Peters with the Fulton Daily Report, Mr. Teilhet claims that he is more experienced than candidate Ken Hodges on the issues that matter most to being Attorney General. […]
00admin/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngadmin2010-07-15 13:19:422010-07-15 13:19:42AJC and Politifact Rate Georgia Attorney General Campaign Ad False
The Walton County Examiner features an interview with Anthony Carter, Joshua Hames’s original lawyer. Mr. Hames just had his conviction for felony murder related to a hunting accident over seven years ago, reversed on appeal In that interview, Mr. Carter explains that the case still haunts him and that he followed it after he […]
As I predicted a few days ago, the Attorney General race has made a decidedly ugly turn. Mr. Hodges has responded with an attack ad of his own, referring to the fact that a newspaper (check out the source: it’s Creative Loafing, available on the news-stand outside your local head shop or artsy pizza joint) […]
In Adams v. State.pdf, the Supreme Court of Georgia held that it is appropriate for a sentencing judge, after a reversal for judicial error, to impose a greater sentence on an individual count as long as the sentence in the aggregate is not increased. The dissent, consisting of three justices, reasons that the Court’s holding […]
00admin/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngadmin2010-07-13 12:00:002010-07-13 12:00:00Supreme Court of Georgia Changes Approach to Sentencing After Appeal
Before today, I had never seen an Order styled “Court’s Analysis of Indigent Defense System.” Judge J. David Roper of Richmond County, Georgia entered this document into the record on the same day that he entered a consent order involving a suit between the Southern Center for Human Rights and the Georgia Public Defender Standards […]
The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reports that Harold Nelson Hill, Jr., former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice, passed away at his lake home on July 5. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Willis Hunt called him “a stellar member of the Supreme Court.” Justice Hill began serving on the Supreme Court in 1975 and served as […]
The Huffington Post reports that Rob Teilhet, a democratic candidate running for Georgia state attorney general is about to unroll a controversial ad accusing his primary opponent and elected district attorney from Albany, Georgia, that allowed a police officer to go free for the murder of Kenneth Walker. The ad features Mr. Walker’s mother narrating […]
Honorable Debra Bernes Dies at 54
/by adminThe Honorable Debra Bernes has died of cancer at the age of 54. Bill Rankin at the Atlanta Journal Constitution has posted an article on her passing and her career. Judge Bernes will be remembered for many things including her illustrious, albeit too short career on the Georgia Court of Appeals. Before beginning her service on the […]
A New Approach to Felony Murder and a New Template to Attack Precedent in Georgia
/by adminThere are two big stories in the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision in Jackson v. State. The first is that the rule of causation for felony murder that had been in place for thirty years has been changed. The second is that the majority has provided a framework for any appellant to use in future cases […]
Timing Problems for Getting Retained on Georgia Appeals
/by adminOne of the problems with appellate law is that clients either show up too late or early. Some clients show up too late and too early. Too late is after the trial attorney has screwed things up, after a deadline has passed, or after the client took things into his own hands and dabbled in […]
AJC and Politifact Rate Georgia Attorney General Campaign Ad False
/by adminRob Teilhet’s controversial ad has made state and national news. According to the AJC and PolitiFact, the ad is “false.” In an interview with done by Andy Peters with the Fulton Daily Report, Mr. Teilhet claims that he is more experienced than candidate Ken Hodges on the issues that matter most to being Attorney General. […]
Hames Case From Ga. Supreme Court Haunts Original Lawyer
/by adminThe Walton County Examiner features an interview with Anthony Carter, Joshua Hames’s original lawyer. Mr. Hames just had his conviction for felony murder related to a hunting accident over seven years ago, reversed on appeal In that interview, Mr. Carter explains that the case still haunts him and that he followed it after he […]
Hodges: Rival Attorney General Candidate is Sleazy
/by adminAs I predicted a few days ago, the Attorney General race has made a decidedly ugly turn. Mr. Hodges has responded with an attack ad of his own, referring to the fact that a newspaper (check out the source: it’s Creative Loafing, available on the news-stand outside your local head shop or artsy pizza joint) […]
Supreme Court of Georgia Changes Approach to Sentencing After Appeal
/by adminIn Adams v. State.pdf, the Supreme Court of Georgia held that it is appropriate for a sentencing judge, after a reversal for judicial error, to impose a greater sentence on an individual count as long as the sentence in the aggregate is not increased. The dissent, consisting of three justices, reasons that the Court’s holding […]
Superior Court Judge Says Georgia Indigent Defense is Broken
/by adminBefore today, I had never seen an Order styled “Court’s Analysis of Indigent Defense System.” Judge J. David Roper of Richmond County, Georgia entered this document into the record on the same day that he entered a consent order involving a suit between the Southern Center for Human Rights and the Georgia Public Defender Standards […]
Passing of Former Chief Justice of Georgia Supreme Court
/by adminThe Atlanta Journal and Constitution reports that Harold Nelson Hill, Jr., former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice, passed away at his lake home on July 5. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Willis Hunt called him “a stellar member of the Supreme Court.” Justice Hill began serving on the Supreme Court in 1975 and served as […]
Campaign for Georgia’s Attorney General Taking Ugly Turn
/by adminThe Huffington Post reports that Rob Teilhet, a democratic candidate running for Georgia state attorney general is about to unroll a controversial ad accusing his primary opponent and elected district attorney from Albany, Georgia, that allowed a police officer to go free for the murder of Kenneth Walker. The ad features Mr. Walker’s mother narrating […]