Georgia CommonsCourt opinions
Georgia Supreme Court decisions with plain-language summaries. Browse by year and case type, or search by case name.
Floyd v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that a Newton County man convicted of shooting a man he claimed threatened him can be reindicted and retried on felony murder and firearm charges after his earlier convictions were thrown out for his lawyer's mistakes.
Glenn v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Aqontise Glenn's malice murder conviction in a DeKalb County drive-by shooting, finding the circumstantial evidence sufficient and ruling the trial court properly excluded hearsay testimony about a possible alternate suspect.
In the Matter of Andrew Thurston Murphy
The Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred an attorney who pleaded guilty to 17 felony counts for sending threatening emails to a judge, prosecutors, and court staff during a client's criminal case.
In the Matter of Lisa Paige Lenn
The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted an attorney's request to voluntarily surrender her law license after she pleaded guilty to a felony charge of terroristic threats, a move the court treats as equivalent to disbarment.
In the Matter of Mylee McKinney
The Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred attorney Mylee McKinney after she abandoned four clients, fabricated a court filing, and defaulted on the State Bar's disciplinary complaints against her.
In the Matter of Samuel David Ozburn
The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted an attorney's request to give up his law license after he admitted mishandling client matters, including falsely claiming he had secured title insurance in 16 real estate closings.
McCoy v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Bartow County woman's felony murder conviction for shooting her ex-husband, ruling that the trial court was allowed to reject her pretrial claim that she was immune from prosecution under Georgia's self-defense immunity law.
McDaniel v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Darrian McDaniel's murder conviction, ruling that his statements during a police interview did not clearly invoke his right to remain silent or his right to a lawyer, and that playing only part of a recorded interview for the jury was not plain error.
Piercefield v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Cobb County man's murder convictions, rejecting his claims that a juror should have been removed, that his lawyer was ineffective, and that the evidence supported self-defense over guilt.
Price v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia vacated part of the ruling against a Fulton County man convicted of murder, finding the trial judge made legal errors in rejecting his claim that he was denied a speedy trial, and sent the case back for a proper analysis.
Rease v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Fayette County man's felony murder conviction in the strangulation death of his neighbor, rejecting claims about excluded evidence, DNA testimony, judicial comments, and his lawyer's performance.
State v. Brantley
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that evidence of a sexual assault Barron Brantley allegedly committed against Alexis Crawford five days before her murder can be used at his murder trial, reversing a Fulton County judge's ruling that kept it out.
Almond v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a DeKalb County man's murder conviction for shooting his grandfather, ruling that shackling him during trial, though concerning, did not require a new trial because the jury never saw it.
Anderson v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a DeKalb County man's murder conviction, ruling his trial lawyer's failure to object to two jury instructions did not amount to ineffective assistance of counsel.
Burden v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a DeKalb County man's murder convictions, ruling that the trial judge was allowed to tell the jury about his later Clayton County convictions for a similar armed burglary and shooting.
Clark v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld most of Cleveland Clark's convictions for the murder-for-hire killing of Michelle Rai, but sent the case back to the trial court for a hearing on whether his public defenders were constitutionally ineffective.
Compton v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Hancock County man's murder conviction for stabbing his cellmate, ruling he waited too long to object and ask for a mistrial after improper testimony about his silence to police.
Glover v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Baldwin County man's murder conviction for killing his prison cellmate, rejecting his self-defense claim and finding no reversible errors in his trial.
Jones v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Fayette County man's murder conviction, ruling that his statement to police at the crime scene was properly admitted and that he was not harmed by the trial court's refusal to strike a squeamish juror.
Jones v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Nathan Jones's felony murder conviction, ruling that text messages, phone location data, and evidence of flight were enough to show he lured a man to a drug deal that led to his death.