Georgia CommonsCourt opinions
Georgia Supreme Court decisions with plain-language summaries. Browse by year and case type, or search by case name.
S&S TOWING & RECOVERY, LTD v. CHARNOTA
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that Georgia's dog bite statute does not violate due process when it treats an unleashed dog as 'vicious' for breaking a local leash law, because owners can still contest liability by showing they lacked knowledge of the violation.
Scott v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Savannah man's murder and multiple rape convictions from a 2013-2014 crime spree, but reversed one rape conviction for lack of sufficient evidence.
State v. Pauldo
The Supreme Court of Georgia reversed a trial court order that had thrown out a murder suspect's statements to police, ruling that officers did not keep interrogating him after he invoked his right to remain silent and to a lawyer, and that he later reopened the conversation himself.
Tumlinson v. Dix
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that a Spalding County habeas court was wrong to throw out a man's challenge to being denied bond without ever looking at whether his claims had merit or holding a hearing.
DALY v. BERRYHILL
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that a jury could be told to consider whether a heart patient assumed the risk of fainting when he went deer hunting five days after major heart surgery, reversing a Court of Appeals decision that had thrown out a defense verdict.
Dixon v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Stanley Dixon's murder and gang-activity convictions for a fatal shooting after a school fight, finding the evidence and jury instructions were legally sound.
Global Payments, Inc. v. Incomm Financial Services, Inc
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that a payment processor cannot be sued for negligent misrepresentation simply for passing along fraudulent refund data it received from merchants, because it never claimed the data was accurate.
Hamilton v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Gwinnett County father's felony murder conviction in the death of his three-year-old adopted daughter, finding the evidence sufficient and the trial court's admission of expert brain-injury testimony proper.
Lyons v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Joseph Milton Lyons' convictions for felony murder, aggravated assault, home invasion, and firearm possession in a Henry County robbery gone wrong, but struck one of his aggravated assault sentences as legally improper.
Newton v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Bibb County man's murder conviction, ruling that the photo lineup used to identify him was not unfairly suggestive and that his trial lawyer's handling of witness testimony did not amount to ineffective assistance.
Norris v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Melissa Norris's murder conviction for shooting her father, ruling the trial judge did not commit plain error by refusing to instruct the jury on mistake of fact.
Rouzan v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia vacated a Richmond County man's murder conviction proceedings, ruling the trial judge used an outdated legal test to let jurors hear extensive evidence about an earlier, unrelated killing.
Shealey v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a West Point man's murder conviction, ruling that a trial court properly excluded a co-defendant's guilty plea hearing statements as hearsay that did not qualify for a legal exception.
State v. Heath
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that a Columbia County woman's lawyer was ineffective for failing to challenge a defective indictment, even though she had notice of the charges against her.
Stinchcomb v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that a trial court was wrong to reject a Fulton County man's request for a new murder trial without first holding a hearing on new evidence about the shooting victim's actions.
Thompson v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Tift County man's felony murder conviction in his wife's death, ruling that testimony about his past violence against his children and stepchildren was properly admitted and that those witnesses could watch the trial before testifying.
Treadaway v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Chattooga County woman's felony murder conviction for beating her husband with a broom handle, rejecting arguments about the evidence, jury instructions, and her lawyer's trial strategy.
Carson v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Fulton County man's murder conviction, rejecting challenges to the joint trial of his charges, admission of prior crime evidence, and handling of his police statements.
Hampton v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Savannah man's convictions for three murders, ruling that any error in admitting a co-defendant's jailhouse statements was harmless and that the trial court properly excluded an alibi witness who chose to invoke his right against self-incrimination.
Hood v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a DeKalb County man's felony murder conviction, ruling that his trial lawyer's decision not to consult a gunshot residue expert did not deprive him of a fair trial.