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The Judicial Nominating Commission has given Gov. Nathan Deal lists of candidates for 12 judge positions since Deal signed a bill creating the Catoosa County State Court on May 5:July 7: DeKalb Traffic Division* (126 days after position opened)Oct. 6: Georgia Court of Appeals** (153 days after position opened)Jan. 25: Atlantic Judicial Circuit Superior Court (94 days after position opened)March 22: Appalachian Judicial Circuit Superior Court (145 days after position opened)March 22: Appalachian Judicial Circuit Superior Court*** (62 days after position opened)March 22: Western Judicial Circuit Superior Court (321 days after position opened)March 22: Clayton County State Court (68 days after position opened)Catoosa County State Court: 341 days (and counting)* Four judicial positions** Three judicial positions*** Two seats in the circuit opened at different times
RINGGOLD, Ga. - Coming soon to Catoosa County: a new court.
Maybe.
The Catoosa County State Court, which will handle misdemeanors and traffic offenses, is scheduled to open July 1.
Problem is, state officials haven't started accepting applications from anyone interested in wearing the black robes. County politicians and local lawyers are waiting and wondering when Gov. Nathan Deal will appoint a judge and open the show.
Said Catoosa County Attorney Clifton "Skip" Patty: "I haven't got a clue. I would expect it to happen soon."
State Rep. Steve Tarvin, R-Chickamauga, who co-sponsored the 2015 bill creating the new court, said, "I don't know what the hold-up is. It's never even been talked about [in front of me]."
Added state Rep. Tom Weldon, R-Ringgold, the bill's other sponsor: "I wish I could tell you."
And Catoosa County Manager Jim Walker: "The commissioners don't know. The county attorneys don't know. I don't know. All I know is that we've asked [Deal] to please make the appointments."
Randy Evans, co-chair of the state's Judicial Nominating Commission, said: "I don't know. All I know is that we wait until [news of the job opening] makes its way to us."
Deal signed House Bill 674 on May 5, 2015, creating the new court in Catoosa County. The idea is to speed up justice by giving lower-level crimes a court of their own so Superior Court prosecutors and judges can focus on felonies.
The bill gave a start date of July 1 of this year. But in the 341 days since it crossed the governor's desk, there has been no visible movement toward finding the judge or the solicitor general who will prosecute those cases.
Evans said his group cannot start searching for a state court judge until the governor's executive council officially informs the Judicial Nominating Commission there is an opening. All this requires is an email with a short note.
Then the commission will advertise the position on its website, and the State Bar of Georgia will put out feelers to local attorneys. Interested candidates can apply to the commission, which will interview them and create a "short list" from which Deal can choose.
Since last May, the commission has given Deal "short lists" for 12 judicial positions. On average, it took the commission 138 days to narrow down the candidates and send suggestions to the governor.
The longest process was for a Superior Court judge spot in the Western Judicial Circuit, which covers Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. Like the Catoosa County State Court position, the Western Judicial Circuit seat was created in the state Legislature last year.
Deal signed the bill approving that position May 6 - one day after he signed the bill for the Catoosa County court. Three weeks ago, on March 22, the Judicial Nominating Commission gave Deal a trio of candidates to choose from.
Evans said he doesn't know why the governor's office hasn't told him to begin taking applications for the Catoosa County position. A press secretary for Deal did not return multiple emails or a call seeking comment last week.
"We're like the fire department," Evans said. "We only know there is a fire when somebody calls. We only know there is a vacancy some other way - whenever the bell gets rung."
Locally, Fort Oglethorpe City Manager Ron Goulart and Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Public Defender David Dunn have expressed interest in the judge's seat. They are waiting to send in their resumes.
Catoosa County officials also are waiting to make the proper moves. On Oct. 20, the County Commission passed a resolution asking for early appointments to the positions of judge and solicitor general.
County officials sent the resolution to Deal and the local delegation, which includes Tarvin, Weldon and State Sen. Jeff Mullis. Walker, the county manager, said the commission has not heard back from the governor.
As the county waits, he said, employees have cleared space in a building across Maple Street from the courthouse. He hopes to put a solicitor general and an assistant in there, once the county actually has a solicitor general and an assistant.
"We don't know what the governor is going to do," Walker said. "But we're trying to be proactive."
STATE REP. CANDIDATES:
Three new people have qualified to run in the May 24 Republican Primary for the Georgia House District 3 seat that Weldon currently occupies. Jeff Holcomb, Zach Hubbs and Jeremy Jones all filed the necessary paperwork with the secretary of state's office last week.
When the original qualifying period for May 24 expired, Weldon was set to run for re-election against Dewayne Hill, a former Catoosa County Commission. But Weldon withdrew from the race. And, at the request of the Catoosa County GOP, the Georgia Republican Party's executive committee voted to re-open qualifying for Weldon's seat so Hill would not run unopposed.
Qualifying was open again Wednesday and Thursday.
Contact staff writer Tyler Jett at tjett@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6476.