Georgia CommonsCourt opinions
Georgia Supreme Court decisions with plain-language summaries. Browse by year and case type, or search by case name.
HALL v. DAVIS LAWN CARE SERVICE, INC.
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that a conservator who resisted joining a wrongful-death lawsuit and tried to have it dismissed did not give up his exclusive legal right to control that litigation once a court later forced him into the case.
In THE INTEREST OF C.C., Children
The Supreme Court of Georgia sent back a Forsyth County dependency case because the juvenile court used the wrong legal test to decide whether parents' religious objection to vaccinating their children was sincere.
In the Matter of Candace Lanette Sneed
The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted an Atlanta-area attorney's request for voluntary discipline, imposing a nine-month suspension for neglecting four clients' cases and failing to cooperate with a State Bar investigation.
In the Matter of Stephen Anthony Power
The Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred attorney Stephen Anthony Power after he defaulted on disciplinary charges accusing him of abandoning clients, mishandling trust account funds, and ignoring the State Bar's investigation.
Inquiry Concerning Judge Terrinee Lynette Gundy
The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted a discipline agreement suspending Atlanta Municipal Court Judge Terrinee Lynette Gundy for 90 days without pay and publicly reprimanding her for chronic tardiness, absenteeism, and unlawfully keeping arrestees in jail.
JONES v. THE STATE (Two Cases)
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Coffee County man's murder conviction, ruling that the trial judge was right to refuse a voluntary manslaughter instruction and that his trial lawyer was not ineffective for failing to object.
Prickett v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Santron Prickett's convictions in the shooting death of Antwan Curry, rejecting claims of ineffective counsel and violated presence rights, but sent the case back because the trial court imposed two life sentences for what should have been one felony murder conviction.
Wheeler v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Eric Wheeler's murder conviction for killing his ex-girlfriend, ruling that even if police wrongly searched his girlfriend's apartment for a gun and bloody clothes, the error was harmless because Wheeler admitted at trial that he shot the victims.
Bridges v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Fulton County woman's murder conviction for shooting her husband, rejecting her claim that the evidence favored self-defense and finding no error in striking three jurors for bias.
Carter v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Woodrow Carter's malice murder conviction, finding enough evidence tied him to the killing of James Mills and that he had no right to have jurors consider a lesser charge of concealing a death.
Dugar v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Rita Mary Dugar's felony murder conviction, rejecting her claims that a judge's earlier bond hearing remarks pressured her into giving up a jury trial and that her lawyer was ineffective.
Ellington v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Vincent Ellington's malice murder conviction in an Atlanta shooting, rejecting his claims that the evidence was insufficient and that his cross-examination of a witness was improperly limited, but sent the case back to fix a sentencing error.
Harris v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Fulton County man's murder conviction, ruling the trial judge properly denied a last-minute continuance and that his trial lawyer's strategic choices did not amount to ineffective assistance.
In THE MATTER OF GRADY ALEXANDER ROBERTS III (Four Cases)
The Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred attorney Grady Alexander Roberts III after finding he repeatedly failed to inform clients about court deadlines, dismissed appeals, and fee awards entered against them in two separate cases.
In the Matter of Amber Holly Bunch
The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted an Atlanta-area lawyer's request to voluntarily surrender her law license after she admitted mishandling client trust funds in two personal injury matters, an outcome treated the same as disbarment.
In the Matter of Dennis Robert Kurz
The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted a voluntary discipline petition from an attorney who appeared in court after drinking at a Valentine's Day lunch and mishandled trust account funds, but imposed only a public reprimand rather than a suspension.
In the Matter of Gege Okezuandue Odion
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld the denial of a law school graduate's application for certification of fitness to practice law, finding he repeatedly failed to disclose dozens of lawsuits he had been involved in.
In the Matter of John Carl Huber
The Supreme Court of Georgia agreed to suspend an attorney's law license while he appeals his felony convictions, including aggravated assault and burglary, rather than deciding whether to disbar him now.
In the Matter of Michael Anthony Eddings
The Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred attorney Michael Anthony Eddings after finding he lied under oath about interviewing a represented witness and then submitted false statements and staged testimony to cover it up.
Jones v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Reginald Jones's murder conviction for killing his pregnant girlfriend, rejecting his claim that the shooting was an accident and finding the evidence of abuse and staged crime scene sufficient to prove malice.