IN THE PROFESSION want their finances or custody issues open for public consumption . Therefore , Senior Judges can conduct “ private trials / arbitrations ” that fill the need for certain families and businesses . If anyone wants to take advantage of this service , s / he / they just need to send any of the Senior Judges an e-mail request . The beauty of this service is that we can spend 2-3 days on one case — almost unheard of for an Active Judge . As a Senior Judge , you have the ability to really listen to each case , and to spend more time on each case than the 10 Cobb Superior Court Active Judges have the time for , given their enormous caseloads . However , this “ private trial ” service is generally available only for litigants who can afford to pay a fee .
Additionally , as a Senior Judge , one has more time to take on important , complex cases , and to give these cases the time they deserve . Most parties just want someone to listen to them , to hear their stories . As a Senior Judge , I have more time to give these parties what they need to provide closure to their disputes , especially in family law cases .
Q : Before you retired as an Active Cobb County Superior Court Judge , what changes had you observed on the bench , in the practice of law , and in Cobb County in general , over the 16 years you served on the Cobb Superior Court Bench ?
A : I ’ ve seen so many changes over the past two decades . The bench has seemlessly incorporated technologies ; we have significantly improved ADR opportunities for litigants , and the Bench has become much more sophisticated in complex business disputes . In the area of criminal law , the Bench has rethought sentence lengths for non-violent felonies and began focusing more on the rehabilitative aspects of sentencing , as opposed to the punitive aspects of sentencing .
There have also been enormous changes for the good in terms of diversity on the Bench and in Cobb County in general . For example , the Cobb Superior Court Bench is now 50 / 50 female / male . We have also appointed Black Juvenile and Magistrate Court Judges , many of whom no doubt will be elevated to the Superior Court bench .
PHOTO SOURCE : MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL
One area , however , in which I have noticed a drop in diversity is in the number of Jewish Judges . I was the first Jewish judge to be elected to the bench in Cobb County , and also the first Jewish Chief Judge . To my knowledge , the only Jewish Superior Court Judge in the metro Atlanta area is Stacey Hydrick in DeKalb Superior Court .
I have also noticed a dramatic change in the demographics of Cobb County . It has become a much wealthier county , it is run by five Commissioners , all of whom , including the Chairperson , are women , and a majority of whom are women of color . Even the County Manager is currently a woman . This is a radical change in the leadership of Cobb County than when I first became a Judge .
Q . What are some of the accomplishments you achieved that you are most proud of in your years as an Active Judge on the Cobb Superior Court Bench ?
A : One of my strongest beliefs as a Judge has been equal access to justice for all . As you can imagine , the two biggest types of
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