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Caption The standstill in jury trials has resulted in a backlog of thousands of cases that judges and attorneys fear will take years to catch up. Credit: John McCosh/Georgia Recorder (file photo)
Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton said he’s planning to lift a year-long restriction Tuesday to allow jury trials to resume that have been on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The standstill has resulted in a backlog of thousands of cases that judges and attorneys fear will take years to catch up and leaves many Georgians facing criminal charges stuck in jail or in perpetual limbo waiting for their cases to get resolved.
COVID-19 creates criminal case backlog across Georgia
Court backlog due to the pandemic
The FOX 5 I-Team has learned just how backed up Georgia s judicial system is due to the coronavirus pandemic and how long it might take to clear all the cases.
ATLANTA - Take a tour of the Fulton County District Attorney s office and one will find boxes lining the hallways, stacked to the ceiling, piled inside offices.
Reporter: You were surprised by this, weren t you?
Willis: It was disgusting.
And though her county is the hardest hit, District Attorney Fani Willis is far from alone. Across the state, prosecutors face an overwhelming number of criminal cases - clogging up the court system.
Former Republican Sen. David Perdue announced he will not be running for the Republican nomination to challenge Sen. Raphael Warnock in 2022 after losing to Sen. Jon Ossoff in the January runoff.
Georgia’s Chief Justice Harold Melton announced Friday that he will leave the state Supreme Court this summer.
Melton’s last day on July 1 will mark his 30th year working in state government, and 16 years with the court. The chief justice said that it’s the best time for him to explore new opportunities, but he doesn’t know where the next move will take him.
“This fall, all of our three children will be attending college at the same time. Now is the best time for me to explore opportunities for the next season of life that will allow me to best serve our legal community and my extended family. I do not now know what my next move will be. With this announcement, I can begin the search process in earnest,” Melton said in a release.