COBB COUNTY, Georgia. – The Chief Judge of the Cobb Judicial Circuit has extended the Cobb County Superior Court’s emergency order for another month as the county continues to deal with a backlog of documents.
This extraordinary measure is permitted under Georgian law and is applied when the normal functions of the judicial system are significantly disrupted by an emergency and the public can no longer access court hearings or deadlines can no longer be met.
Chief Judge A. Gregory Poole declared the state of emergency on August 7 after officials said a software change made in the clerk’s office in June had caused a number of problems with court records.
“Court staff could not find documents. Attorneys and litigants could not find documents related to their cases. Law enforcement could not find restraining orders and arrest warrants. In many cases, summons to appear in court were incorrect or not sent at all,” Superior Court Administrator Christopher Hansard told FOX 5.
Judge issues emergency decree in Cobb County
A judicial emergency has been declared in Cobb County. Legal documents contain incorrect information, some documents were never filed, others have disappeared entirely.
According to the county, some legal documents contained inaccurate information, some documents were never filed, and others have disappeared entirely since late June 2024. In fact, Poole said the problems are so serious that the constitutional rights of hundreds of Cobb County residents could be at risk.
“Currently, there are still cases where documents are unavailable to the public in the old CRIS system and at the same time are unavailable to court personnel in the new Icon system. The Chief Judge continues to believe that these types of issues and conditions continue to raise serious due process and other constitutional concerns,” the court said in a press release.
According to officials, some of the problems are also due to the lack of staff in the office. The office is short of 43 employees. Currently, only 61 employees are employed.
Although the situation has improved, the district said there is still a “significant backlog” because documents dating back to November 2023 have not yet been indexed.
Until the problems are resolved, the judges try to work with the individual plaintiffs as best as possible.
With Poole’s new order, the judicial emergency will last until October 6, 2024. It could be extended for an additional period.
Officials advise that if you have an upcoming court date and are unsure of the time and date, or whether the correct documents have been submitted, call the judge’s office directly.
