Courting the Public

In a bid to be more transparent and open with the public, the Fulton County Superior Court is making the rounds at neighborhood association meetings for a series of Q&A sessions.

Chief Judge Cynthia D. Wright and Judge Michael D. Johnson, made their first presentation Thursday to members of Neighborhood Planning Unit-N,  which includes the Inman Park, Candler Park, Poncey-Highland, Lake Claire, Reynoldstown, Cabbagetown and Druid Hills communities.

The Q&A sessions come as some Atlanta residents have questioned the openness of the Fulton County Superior Court system to the community.

Fulton County Superior Court, which tries some 25,000 cases a year,  and has an annual budget of $25 million.

 “We are elected officials; it’s important to be responsive to the community and we want to hear their concerns,” Wright told East Atlanta Patch before the meeting. “Our robes are opaque, but our judicial processes should be transparent.”

It’s a point Johnson reiterated with those attending the meeting.

“We really want to let you know about what we do and why it's important to you and also to let you know that we care about your concerns,” Johnson said.

The judges also wanted to dispel the stereotype that the judiciary is aloof and indifferent to average citizens.

“A lot of times, people get the opinion that judges are lofty, we sit up on the bench and that we don’t care,” Johnson said. “But the reality is both Judge Wright and myself, we live in the city. We’re not in gated communities and the same issues that affect you, they affect us as well."

Wright sought to explain some of the changes enacted at Fulton County Superior Court in recent years.

She noted the formation of the Business Court to try business-related litigation that otherwise might have gone to North Carolina or Delaware courts, which have well-established systems for such cases.

She also highlighted the court’s separation of some family-related litigation — such as child custody and divorce cases — to be heard by three designated judges. Under the old way, those cases often took longer to come before a judge because criminal cases took precedence.