What Is Justice? | Access and Accountability

Ken Hodges was only 30 years old when voters elected him District Attorney of the Dougherty Judicial Circuit in 1996. He entered office facing a backlog of eight death penalty cases. Within his first two years, those cases were moved forward and taken to trial. Hodges also reorganized the office around trial teams to reduce unnecessary delays and developed programs aimed at protecting children and crime victims. Those efforts included a child prosecution unit, child advocacy center, truancy program and sexual assault unit. This clip from Episode 54 of See You In Court provides another piece of the larger story behind Judge Hodges’ career, from prosecutor and district attorney to private practice, State Bar leadership and eventually the Georgia Court of Appeals. Listen to the full episode:https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/ Watch:https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

What happens when defective products cause serious injuries or investigations fail to uncover the truth? In Episode 56 of See You In Court, attorneys Tedra Cannella and Rob Snyder join hosts Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate to discuss complex product liability cases, consumer safety, and corporate accountability. From a $127 million defective seat belt verdict to a fatal trucking accident investigation, they share compelling stories about evidence, courtroom challenges, and the pursuit of justice through Georgia’s civil courts.

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges spends most of his judicial work reviewing what happened in trial courts. But for a brief period, he got to go back. In this See You In Court clip, Judge Hodges explains how he volunteered to help a Fulton County Superior Court judge dealing with a significant backlog. His first stint resulted largely in pleas, even in murder cases that initially appeared likely to go to trial. When he returned a second time, an aggravated assault case did go before a jury, allowing Hodges to preside as a trial judge. The experience highlights one of the interesting contrasts in his career. Appellate judging requires extensive reading, record review and analysis. Trial court requires decisions in real time and constant interaction with lawyers, witnesses and the proceedings unfolding in front of you. Judge Hodges makes no secret of which experience felt more lively. Listen to the full Episode 54 conversation:https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/ Watch:https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges says one of the toughest parts of his job is the sheer volume of cases the court must decide. That makes a potential change in Georgia’s appellate system especially significant. In this clip, Judge Hodges discusses the possibility that many murder appeals currently handled by the Georgia Supreme Court could eventually move to the Court of Appeals. His concern is what happens if a substantial new caseload arrives without additional judges, staff attorneys or other resources. In the full Episode 54 conversation, Hodges explains why that could affect not only the new cases, but also oral arguments, discretionary applications and the amount of time available to carefully consider every case already before the court. The jurisdiction change has not occurred, but the debate provides a revealing look at the workload and resource challenges behind Georgia’s appellate justice system. Listen to the full episode:https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

When Ken Hodges became District Attorney of the Dougherty Judicial Circuit, he inherited a backlog of eight death penalty cases. Judge Hodges says the mishandling of one of those cases helped motivate him to run for district attorney, and working through that backlog became an important part of his early years in office. Yet when asked which prosecution stands out most, he points to State of Georgia v. Sidney Dorsey. The murder and racketeering prosecution of the former DeKalb County sheriff was moved from metro Atlanta to Albany, where Hodges worked alongside District Attorney J. Tom Morgan during jury selection, opening statements, witness examinations and trial strategy. This clip begins that remarkable chapter of Judge Hodges’ career. The story will continue when J. Tom Morgan joins See You In Court in an upcoming episode. Listen to the full Judge Hodges episode:https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/