have soared during covid , toggling between legal and administrative management matters is an adjustment and challenge that I gladly accept .
Since most of you had months since the mid-summer election , how did you spend the past months preparing for your new position ?
My predecessor Judge Pinkie Toomer served honorably for many years . I was fortunate to have access to her staff to learn and observe from them prior to taking the bench . As a veteran Fulton County employee for over 15 years , I also used my preparation time to learn the county ’ s administrative processes so that I would be ready on Day One .
Do you have any immediate goals that are important for you to accomplish within the first six months ?
With the uptick in estate filings due to covid fatalities and the surge in licensing , it is a priority to find ways to reduce waiting times , make probate services more convenient to residents and utilize technology to improve our service delivery . In the next six months , you will see many of the best practices from around the state implemented in Futon ’ s Probate court .
Is there someone who holds or held a similar position that you admired and plan on emulating and if so , why or what attributes of theirs do you think are important ?
Chief Justice Harold Melton continues to inspire me daily . His leadership during these unprecedented times has added confidence in the judiciary and his efforts to maintain our legal system are practicable and honorable . I admire and applaud all of the local leaders and circuit chief judges that have stepped forth with innovative concepts to keep us all safe- vision takes lots of courage .
What will you miss most , if anything , from the practice of law or from being a
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14 December / January 2021 prosecutor ?
The thing I will miss most from being a prosecutor is the creativity and expression that a prosecutor can display at trial . From artful closing arguments to sifting crossexaminations , prosecutors enjoy the art of persuasion and presentation . Now as a judge , luckily I still get to observe legal talent , but from a neutral perspective .
Do you have a judicial / guiding philosophy and if so , what is it and how will it be instrumental in your new position ?
With over 20 years as a criminal prosecutor , I have been in front of all types of judges . From that experience , I ’ ve learned the type of Judge I want to be and don ’ t want to be . My judicial philosophy is never do anything that I wouldn ’ t want to experience as a prosecutor . We will start on time , we will always break for lunch and we will be respectful of all parties .
When someone addresses you as Judge , how long does it take you to realize they are referring to you ?
When I hear the word ‘ Judge ,’ I straighten up a little because there must be a judge somewhere near . Once I realize it ’ s me , I feel the respect and honor of the position and that makes me straighten up even more because I always want to be worthy of that honor .
COBB COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT : JUDGE KELLIE S . HILL
What do you anticipate will be some of the hardest adjustments you will have to make in your new role as Judge ?
In my new role as a Superior Court Judge , I anticipate one adjustment to include becoming more proficient with the areas of law that were not typically handled while in my capacity as a Magistrate Judge or as an attorney . These areas include both domestic and civil law . I do believe , however , that my myriad of experiences as both a magistrate judge and attorney , will serve me well in understanding and quickly adjusting to the application of these areas of law in the cases that come before me .
Since most of you had months since the mid-summer election , how did you spend the past months preparing for your new position ?
Since the election in June , my duties as a magistrate judge did not stop and therefore , I continued to serve in that capacity until I took the Superior Court bench in January 2021 . To prepare for the new role , I participated in training through the National Judicial College , made staffing decisions , prepared for my investiture with the Cobb Superior Court and made the physical move to the Superior Court .
Do you have any immediate goals that are important for you to accomplish within the first six months ?
My immediate goals for the first six months