Criminal Court Schedule for Week of September 21

From Randy McGinley: Criminal Court schedule for the week of September 21:

Superior Court:

- Monday, September 21, Walton County criminal court with Judge Ott presiding.

- Tuesday, September 22: Newton County criminal court with Judge Benton presiding.

- Tuesday, September 22: Walton County criminal court with Judge Wynne presiding.

- Wednesday, September 23: Newton County criminal court with Judge Wynne presiding.

- Wednesday, September 23: Walton County criminal court with Judge Benton presiding.

- Thursday, September 24: Newton County criminal court with Judge Ott presiding.

Magistrate Court: - Wednesday, September 23: Newton County preliminary hearings with Judge Bell presiding.

No Walton County Preliminary Hearings held this week.

- For the Superior Court calendars: in custody defendant matters will be handled via video conference with the jail in the morning. - Defense attorneys: Please contact the ADA assigned to your case by noon the day before court to let them know if you will be attending court remotely. Our ADAs will provide you the login credentials for the video conference link.

- For Magistrate Court calendars: in custody defendant matters will be handled in person in the magistrate court courtroom.

Both courthouses require masks and a health screening to enter. The IT departments may be streaming court into additional courtrooms so that the public may observe court while maintaining appropriate social distancing. If there are any questions, please contact the Court or the District Attorney's Office.

Newest Order Extending Judicial Emergency and Grand Juries

Today, the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court issued the 6th Extension of the Statewide Judicial Emergency.

This most recent Order allows for Grand Jury Proceedings to restart:

During this Judicial Emergency, I, along with my offices, have been working together with the Judges, Clerk's Offices, Sheriff's Offices, Public Defender Offices, and private defense attorneys in both Newton and Walton Counties to ensure court is able to continue running and in a safe manner. However, since Grand Juries were suspended on March 14, 2020, each county has approximately 200 cases that are unable to proceed through court without first being presented to the Grand Jury. This includes murders, rapes, child molestations, armed robberies, burglaries, and other felony crimes. This delay affects victims, defendants, witnesses, and the community. The District Attorney's Office is working long hours to ensure that these cases can be presented to a Grand Jury in the near future and to ensure that we do so in a way that is safe. I have been meeting with Linda Hays, Clerk of the Newton County Superior Court, and Karen David, Clerk of the Walton County Superior Court, over the last few weeks in anticipation of this most recent Order to begin working on restarting Grand Jury and doing so in a safe manner for jurors, courthouse staff, and witnesses. More information will be provided to the public over the coming days and weeks as we work together with all of the above agencies. I have attached the most recent Order as well as the Guidance Documents issued by the Supreme Court. The District Attorney's Office and all other agencies will follow the Guidance and Best Practices put in place by the Supreme Court.

- Randy McGinley

FINAL_Sixth SJEO_as issued

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Download PDF • 278KB

FINAL_Guidance-for-Resuming-In-Person-Gr

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Download • 82KB

FINAL_Guidance-for-Local-Committees-on-R

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Download • 77KB

Criminal Court Schedule for Week of August 31

From Randy McGinley: Criminal Court schedule for the week of August 31:

Superior Court:

- Monday, August 31, Walton County criminal court with Judge Zon presiding.

- Tuesday, September 1: Newton County criminal court with Judge Ott presiding.

- Wednesday, September 2: Walton County criminal court with Judge Ott presiding.

- Thursday, September 3: Newton County criminal court with Judge Zon presiding.

- Thursday, September 3: Walton County criminal court with Judge Wynne presiding.

Magistrate Court: - Wednesday, September 2: Newton County preliminary hearings with Judge Bell presiding.

- Thursday, September 3: Walton County preliminary hearings with Judge Burke presiding.

- For the Superior Court calendars: in custody defendant matters will be handled via video conference with the jail in the morning. - Defense attorneys: Please contact the ADA assigned to your case by noon the day before court to let them know if you will be attending court remotely. Our ADAs will provide you the login credentials for the video conference link.

- For Magistrate Court calendars: in custody defendant matters will be handled via video conference with the jail based on the times on the calendars.

Both courthouses require masks and a health screening to enter. The IT departments will be streaming court into additional courtrooms so that the public may observe court while maintaining appropriate social distancing. If there are any questions, please contact the Court or the District Attorney's Office.