Oconee County, GA Politics

The Clarke County area Democratic Committee hosted and listened to Chief Judge T. Patrick  Haggard Saturday morning to a packed house upstairs at Kumquat Mae. The Judge described the various accountability courts: (mental health, drug, DUI) but primarily focused on his dozen or so people involved in the Veterans Court,  privately every Tuesday afternoon in the Clarke County Superior Court.   Mentors and other advocates are sought, but need to sign a confidentiality agreement to attend these sessions, according to Judge Haggard. There are 5 phases of duration during the Veterans Court after an initial assessment, and so far no one has graduated from the area court, but many success stories and employment have emerged, as well as a lowering of the return trips to prison. Jobs are part of the equation for most. Judge Haggard answered questions from the audience about a range of issues from marijuana legalization to mental health and dementia. He was as ca...

Sheriff Scott Berry announces that Harley Miller has been located. Sheriff Berry also announces the arrest of Robert Louis Coggins (36) of Kissimmee, FL, on the following charges: Interstate Interference with Custody and Enticing a Minor for Indecent Purposes. Additional charges may be forthcoming locally as well as in Florida. Coggins is currently in the custody of the Orange County Florid a Sheriff’s Office where he was arrested on our charges. The Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office has already filed an extradition letter. We are exceedingly thankful for the work put in on this case so far and going forward by the Orange County Florida Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. While our entire investigations division has been working on this case, we would like to single out the efforts of Investigator David Stauffacher who has neither been home nor been to sleep since receiving this case. Sher...

Area judge involved in accident - Barrow Journal

Judge Haggard of Oconee County Injured in Barrow County Traffic Accident

(Athens, GA) – A community reception honoring Judge Steve C. Jones will take place on Sunday, June 5 from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. in the Athena Ballroom of the Classic Center at 300 North Thomas Street. A ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m. The reception will celebrate Judge Jones’ appointment to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia and thank him for his extensive community involvement over the years. Judge Jones’ character and experience in the criminal justice system resulted in his nomination for judgeship to the United States District Court by President Barack Obama in November 2010. His nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate in February and his commission was received on March 3, 2011. The investiture ceremony was held in Atlanta on May 19, 2011. Jones is an Athens native who graduated from Cedar Shoals High School and holds both a bachelor’s and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Georgia. He serve...

This particular article written very well by Blake Giles is not available on line yet as the Oconee Enterprise newspaper website but news is news and I urge everyone to run out and either buy the Enterprise newspaper itself, advertise or subscribe to the newspaper as well . I added other information about the Western Judicial Circuit job openings and the next step in the Judicial selection process as well as a job opening posted for the Public Defender's Office. 15 attorneys apply for Superior Court seat BY BLAKE GILES (c) Oconee Enterprise Fifteen men and women have submitted  their  name  to  Gov. Nathan Deal in hopes of being nominated  to  fill  the  vacant Superior Court judgeship in the Western Judicial Circuit. Judge  Steve  Jones  resigned last month to accept an appointment to federal District Court in Atlanta. Gov. Deal will appoint someone to fill out his term of office. Of the 11 men and four women who have applie...

Jones Resigns Superior Court Post - Oconee, GA Patch