Art. VI, Sec. I, Para. IV. Exercise of judicial power.

Ga. Const. 1983, Art. 6, § 1, Para. 4; Ga. L. 2018, p. 1130, § 1/HR 993.

The constitutional amendment (Ga. L. 2018, p. 1130, § 1/HR 993), which inserted “and state-wide business court” in the first sentence and inserted “and the state-wide business court” in the second sentence, was ratified at the general election held on November 6, 2018.

For annual survey on trial practice and procedure, see 70 Mercer L. Rev. 253 (2018).

to grant writ of mandamus.

Georgia Supreme Court lacked original jurisdiction to grant a petition for writ of mandamus as the petition was unconnected to the Supreme Court’s appellate jurisdiction. Arnold v. Alexander, 321 Ga. 330, 914 S.E.2d 311, 2025 Ga. LEXIS 63 (2025). Juvenile denied due process when in contempt due to cell phone sound-

ing.

Judgment of criminal contempt imposed against a juvenile after the juvenile’s cell phone sounded during a dependency hearing was reversed because the juvenile court judge did not include any finding that the juvenile was given an opportunity to speak on the juvenile’s own behalf or attempt to explain the juvenile’s actions before the juvenile was found in contempt; thus, the record did not show that the juvenile was extended the minimum requirements of due process of law. In re Williams, 347 Ga. App. 189, 818 S.E.2d 260, 2018 Ga. App. LEXIS 483 (2018).

Constitutionality of Service Delivery Strategy Act.

Trial court erred by finding that the Service Delivery Strategy Act, O.C.G.A. § 36-70-20 et seq., specifically O.C.G.A. § 36-70-25.1(d)(2), was unconstitutional because it did not permit the trial court to direct that the parties enter into a particular agreement and, therefore, did not invade the province of the legislative branch by imposing a tax or allocating the proceeds of that tax. City of Union Point v. Greene County, 303 Ga. 449, 812 S.E.2d 278, 2018 Ga. LEXIS 185 (2018), overruled in part, City of College Park v. Clayton County, 306 Ga. 301, 830 S.E.2d 179, 2019 Ga. LEXIS 438 (2019).