Georgia CommonsCourt opinions
Georgia Supreme Court decisions with plain-language summaries. Browse by year and case type, or search by case name.
Harris v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Denarius Harris's felony murder conviction, ruling that the trial judge's self-defense jury instructions correctly described Georgia law and were unlikely to confuse the jury about when self-defense applies.
In the Matter of Curtis Lee Allen
The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted a Florida-based lawyer's corrected request for reciprocal discipline, imposing a ten-day suspension backdated to match his earlier Florida suspension and reinstating him immediately.
In the Matter of William Slater Vincent
The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted a Fulton-area attorney's petition for voluntary discipline over trust account violations, ordering a public reprimand instead of the suspension the State Bar had sought.
Nabors v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Fulton County man's murder conviction, rejecting his claims that his lawyer wrongly advised him not to testify and that the case rested only on accomplice testimony.
RBC GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT (U.S.) INC. v. LATTIMORE
The Supreme Court of Georgia reversed a $20 million default judgment against an investment adviser, ruling that the woman collecting on a judgment used the wrong garnishment form because the company is not a 'financial institution' under Georgia law.
Rana v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Fulton County police officer's murder conviction for killing a woman he had solicited for sex, rejecting his claims that the trial judge gave faulty jury instructions on accident, self-defense, and defense of habitation.
Robbins v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Chatham County man's murder conviction, rejecting his claims that the trial judge wrongly excluded photos of the victim holding guns and that his trial lawyer was constitutionally ineffective.
Rosenbaum v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Jennifer Rosenbaum's murder and child abuse convictions for the death of her two-year-old foster child, rejecting claims that her trial lawyer bungled her defense or had an improper conflict of interest.
Siders v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a man's murder conviction in a drug-related home invasion killing, rejecting his claims about insufficient evidence, wrongly admitted social media posts, and jury instructions.
Summerville v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Wilkes County man's felony murder conviction, rejecting claims that his lawyer should have objected to a closing argument comment and that the trial judge wrongly limited cross-examination of the medical examiner.
Tedder v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Dolonte Tedder's murder conviction in a fatal drive-by shooting, rejecting his claims that the evidence was too weak, that the trial judge improperly commented on the evidence, and that his lawyer performed deficiently.
Thompson v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Cobb County man's murder conviction for shooting his girlfriend, rejecting his claims that the evidence was too weak and that the jury instructions on his prior violence were improperly confusing.
Wallace v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld David Wallace's felony murder conviction in a Fulton County gang shooting, rejecting arguments that the evidence was too weak, that being restrained with a leg iron at trial was unfair, and that his lawyer was ineffective.
Wipfel v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Kristian Wipfel's murder conviction in the shooting death of eight-year-old Jai'mel Anderson, ruling the trial judge did not err by not instructing the jury on a lesser charge that no one requested.
Depriest v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Newton County man's felony murder conviction for fatally shooting his cousin, finding the evidence supported intent and that any jury instruction error was harmless.
Goodwin v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld the denial of a Glynn County man's request to withdraw his guilty plea to murder, finding his lawyer did adequately explain the 30 year parole eligibility requirement before he pleaded guilty.
In THE MATTER OF JOHN L.G. HERBERT, JR. (Four Cases)
The Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred attorney John L. G. Herbert, Jr. after he defaulted on disciplinary charges accusing him of taking about $850,000 entrusted to him by overseas real estate investors.
Najarro v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Sylvia Marie Najarro's felony murder conviction in a Gwinnett County drug deal shooting, rejecting her claims that her trial lawyer failed her by not objecting to certain evidence.
Pierce v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Clayton County man's convictions for murder, arson, and gang activity in the killing of a man who visited a house used for prostitution, rejecting all of his claims of trial error and ineffective counsel.
Redding v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Merrick Redding's felony murder conviction for a fourth and final time, ruling his speedy-trial rights were not violated and that any evidence errors at trial were harmless.