COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A backlog of court cases in Cobb County continues to cause significant delays for defendants, lawyers and judges. The issue, previously reported by 11Alive, arose after a software change led to disruptions in case notifications, prompting Chief Judge A. Gregory Poole to declare a judicial emergency in August.
Now, multiple Cobb County Superior Court judges are raising concerns that the backlog is impacting their ability to proceed with cases, leaving defendants without proper notice of court hearings.
Judge Rob Leonard II said the situation has now reached a tipping point.
“When it becomes a constitutional issue, we have a duty to step in,” Leonard told 11Alive.
For weeks, he and the county’s ten other Superior Court judges have been unable to conduct normal court business. According to Leonard, the lack of communication from the Clerk of Courts has exacerbated the problem.
“I have never in my time — not as a lawyer, not as a judge, not in the 24 years that I’ve been practicing law — walked out to an empty courtroom like I did yesterday,” Leonard said.
The core issue appears to be a failure in notifying defendants and their attorneys about court hearings. 11Alive reported in August that the county’s software update caused delays for both civil and criminal cases. As a result, judges stopped issuing bench warrants to prevent penalizing defendants who missed hearings due to a lack of notice.
Judge Poole, who initially declared the judicial emergency, extended it two weeks ago but emphasized that he does not plan to extend it again.
“I don’t intend on extending it again. Under the statute, you can extend it twice, but this issue is not going to cure itself,” Poole said.
Superior Court Judge Ann Harris echoed these frustrations, explaining how difficult it has been to gather critical information.
“We’ve asked for reports, and we’re told there’s no way to find that information,” Harris said, adding that it has left her and other judges in the dark about upcoming cases.
Despite attempts to resolve the issue through communication with Cobb County Clerk of Courts Connie Taylor, the judges say no progress has been made.
Judge Leonard expressed concerns that further delays could result in constitutional violations for defendants.
For now, many cases in Cobb County’s Superior Court remain in limbo, with no clear solution in sight. Judges are advising attorneys and their clients to contact both the Clerk’s Office and judges’ chambers directly for information.
11Alive has contacted the Clerk of Courts for a response but has not received any comment as of Wednesday evening.