Georgia Case Commentaries

Improper Admission of Rule 404(b) Evidence Leads to Conviction Reversal in STRONG v. THE STATE

Date: Jun 30, 2020

Improper Admission of Rule 404(b) Evidence Leads to Conviction Reversal in STRONG v. THE STATE Introduction In the landmark case of STRONG v. THE STATE (309 Ga. 295, 2020), the Supreme Court of...

Reevaluation of Class Certification Standards in BOWDEN v. THE MEDICAL CENTER, INC.

Date: Jun 30, 2020

Reevaluation of Class Certification Standards in Bowden et al. v. The Medical Center, Inc. Introduction The Supreme Court of Georgia's decision in Bowden et al. v. The Medical Center, Inc. (2020)...

Clarifying Implied Malice and Procedural Rights in Malice Murder Cases: BURNEY v. THE STATE

Date: Jun 30, 2020

Clarifying Implied Malice and Procedural Rights in Malice Murder Cases: BURNEY v. THE STATE Introduction In the landmark case of BURREDY v. THE STATE (309 Ga. 273), the Supreme Court of Georgia...

Georgia Supreme Court Permits Service by Publication in In Rem Forfeiture Proceedings and Enforces Proper Procedure for More Definite Statement Motions

Date: Jun 17, 2020

Georgia Supreme Court Permits Service by Publication in In Rem Forfeiture Proceedings and Enforces Proper Procedure for More Definite Statement Motions Introduction In the landmark case of Crowder v....

State v. Heard: Supreme Court of Georgia Rules Against Admissibility of Other-Acts Evidence under Rule 404(b)

Date: Jun 17, 2020

State v. Heard: Supreme Court of Georgia Rules Against Admissibility of Other-Acts Evidence under Rule 404(b) Introduction Heard v. The State (844 S.E.2d 791) is a landmark decision by the Supreme...

Comprehensive Analysis of Sullivan v. The State: Evaluating Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims

Date: Apr 21, 2020

Comprehensive Analysis of Sullivan v. The State: Evaluating Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims Introduction Sullivan v. The State, 842 S.E.2d 5, adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Georgia on...

Affirmation of Felony Murder Conviction: Reinforcing Standards for Ineffective Assistance of Counsel and Evidentiary Rulings in Keller v. The State

Date: Apr 21, 2020

Affirmation of Felony Murder Conviction: Reinforcing Standards for Ineffective Assistance of Counsel and Evidentiary Rulings in Keller v. The State Introduction Keller v. The State, decided on April...

Private Citizen's Enforcement of Open Meetings Act Civil Penalties: Insights from Williams v. DeKalb County

Date: Mar 14, 2020

Private Citizen's Enforcement of Open Meetings Act Civil Penalties: Insights from Williams v. DeKalb County Introduction Williams v. DeKalb County, et al. (308 Ga. 265) is a landmark decision by the...

Finality and Statute of Limitations in Habeas Corpus Petitions: Insights from STUBBS v. HALL

Date: Mar 14, 2020

Finality and Statute of Limitations in Habeas Corpus Petitions: Insights from Stubbs v. Hall Introduction In the landmark case of Stubbs v. Hall, the Supreme Court of Georgia addressed critical...

Sufficiency of Evidence and Severance in Joint Trials: Insights from Smith v. The State

Date: Feb 29, 2020

Sufficiency of Evidence and Severance in Joint Trials: Insights from Smith v. The State Introduction Smith v. The State, 308 Ga. 81 (2020), adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Georgia, serves as a...

Westbrook v. The State: Upholding Probable Cause and Evidentiary Standards in Criminal Convictions

Date: Feb 29, 2020

Westbrook v. The State: Upholding Probable Cause and Evidentiary Standards in Criminal Convictions Introduction Westbrook v. The State is a pivotal case adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Georgia on...

Establishing Repugnant Verdicts in Criminal Trials: Insights from McElrath v. The State

Date: Feb 29, 2020

Establishing Repugnant Verdicts in Criminal Trials: Insights from McElrath v. The State Introduction The case of McElrath v. The State (308 Ga. 104), adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Georgia on...

Proper Case Ground for Opening Default Does Not Require Reasonable Explanation: Bowen v. Savoy

Date: Feb 29, 2020

Proper Case Ground for Opening Default Does Not Require Reasonable Explanation: Bowen et al. v. Savoy et al. Introduction Bowen et al. v. Savoy et al. is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of...

Affirmation of Murder Conviction and Merger Correction in Howell v. The State

Date: Feb 11, 2020

Affirmation of Murder Conviction and Merger Correction in Howell v. The State Introduction Howell v. The State, 307 Ga. 865 (2020), adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Georgia, addresses significant...

Cumulative Error Doctrine Reaffirmed in THE STATE v. LANE

Date: Feb 11, 2020

Cumulative Error Doctrine Reaffirmed in THE STATE v. LANE Introduction In THE STATE v. LANE, 308 Ga. 10 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 2020), the Supreme Court of Georgia addressed critical issues...

Admissibility of Prior Acts Evidence for Motive in Murder Cases: Flowers v. The State

Date: Jan 14, 2020

Admissibility of Prior Acts Evidence for Motive in Murder Cases: Flowers v. The State Introduction Flowers v. The State, 307 Ga. 618 (2020), is a significant case adjudicated by the Supreme Court of...

Effective Assistance of Counsel in Felony Murder Cases: An In-Depth Analysis of Gaston v. State

Date: Jan 14, 2020

Effective Assistance of Counsel in Felony Murder Cases: An In-Depth Analysis of Gaston v. State Introduction In the landmark case of Gaston v. State (307 Ga. 634), the Supreme Court of Georgia...

Unit of Prosecution Analysis in Child Molestation Cases: Scott v. The State

Date: Aug 20, 2019

Unit of Prosecution Analysis in Child Molestation Cases: Scott v. The State Introduction Scott v. The State, 306 Ga. 507 (2019), is a pivotal case adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Georgia that...

The Necessity of Unequivocal Assertion in Self-Representation: Analysis of Oliver v. The State

Date: Apr 30, 2019

The Necessity of Unequivocal Assertion in Self-Representation: Analysis of Oliver v. The State Introduction Oliver v. The State, 305 Ga. 678 (2019), presents a pivotal examination of a defendant's...

Supreme Court of Georgia Classifies 911 Charge as Tax, Restricting County Enforcement

Date: Feb 19, 2019

Supreme Court of Georgia Classifies 911 Charge as Tax, Restricting County Enforcement Introduction In the pivotal case of Bellsouth Telecommunications, LLC et al. v. Cobb County et al. (305 Ga. 144),...