There hasn’t been a jury trial in Georgia in over six months, but that’s about to change. Under an emergency order signed by State Supreme Court Justice Harold Melton, jury trials and grand jury sessions, which have been banned since March 14 due to COVID-19, are now set to resume in October.
Melton’s latest order, which runs through October 13, requires certain safety guidelines to be followed. People will have to practice social distancing and wear face coverings in court. Also, courts will limit the number of jurors who can be present at one time for jury selection. The judge’s order also calls for courtrooms and common areas of courthouses to be sanitized.
Melton also required the Chief Judge of each circuit to establish a COVID-19 Jury Committee in each county to develop guidelines and procedures for jury trials that are tailored to their specific courtrooms, courthouses, and facilities. The Mountain Judicial Circuit covers three counties – Habersham, Stephens, and Rabun. The COVID-19 Jury Committee members in those counties are:
Habersham County
• Hon. B. Chan Caudell, Judge of Superior Court – Committee Chair
• Hon. M. Steven Campbell, Chief Judge of Habersham State Court
• George Christian, District Attorney
• Drew Powell, Chief Public Defender
• Bill Oliver, Solicitor of Habersham State Court
• Henry Simmons, State Court Public Defender
• David Wall, Clerk of Superior and State Courts
• Joey Terrell, Habersham County Sheriff
• Dr. Pamela Logan, Director, Ga. Dept. of Public Health, District 2
• Matthew S. Cathey, Attorney, Cathey & Strain
• P. Gerald Cody, Attorney, McDonald & Cody
• Dr. David A. Bray, M.D.
• Phil Sutton, Habersham County Manager
Rabun County
• Hon. Russell W. Smith, Chief Judge of Superior Court – Committee Chair
• George Christian, District Attorney
• Drew Powell, Chief Public Defender
• Holly Henry-Perry, Clerk of Superior Court
• Chad Nichols, Rabun County Sheriff
• L. Allyn Stockton, Jr., Attorney, Stockton & Stockton, LLC
• R. Bruce Russell, Jr., Attorney, Russell & Russell, P.C.
• Dr. Pamela Logan, Director, Georgia Department of Public Health, District 2
Stephens County
• Hon. Russell W. Smith, Chief Judge of Superior Court – Committee Chair
• George Christian, District Attorney
• Drew Powell, Chief Public Defender
• Ann Pickett, Solicitor of Stephens State Court
• Nina Svoren, State Court Public Defender
• Tim Quick. Clerk of Superior and State Courts
• Randy Shirley, Stephens County Sheriff
• Austin L. Perry, Attorney, McClure, Ramsay, Dickerson & Escoe, LLP
• Matthew D. Skilling, Attorney, Sanders, Ranck & Skilling, P.C.
• James E. Cornwell, Jr., Senior Judge, Superior Courts
• Dr. Pamela Logan, Director, Ga. Dept. of Public Health, District 2
