Georgia Case Commentaries

Badie v. State: Co-Defendant’s Post-Trial Plea Does Not Affect Party-to-the-Crime Murder Liability; Bruton Limits and Plain-Error Harm for Missing Limiting Instruction

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Badie v. State: Co-Defendant’s Post-Trial Plea Does Not Affect Party-to-the-Crime Murder Liability; Bruton Limits and Plain-Error Harm for Missing Limiting Instruction Court: Supreme Court of Georgia...

Dill v. State: Brief Juror–Witness Hallway Contact Held “Inconsequential,” Presumption of Prejudice Rebutted Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Dill v. State: Brief Juror–Witness Hallway Contact Held “Inconsequential,” Presumption of Prejudice Rebutted Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Supreme Court of Georgia — Decided March 17, 2026 (S26A0125) 1....

Hernandez v. State: No Ineffective Assistance for Failing to Object to Permissible Closing Argument (Truth-Plea References, Illustrative Analogies, “Common Sense” Reasonable Doubt, and “Send a Message” Rebuttal)

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Hernandez v. State: No Ineffective Assistance for Failing to Object to Permissible Closing Argument (Truth-Plea References, Illustrative Analogies, “Common Sense” Reasonable Doubt, and “Send a...

Disbarment for Knowing Conversion of Client Funds and Pattern Neglect Despite Mental-Health Mitigation — In the Matter of Charles Bruce Singleton, Jr.

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Disbarment for Knowing Conversion of Client Funds and Pattern Neglect Despite Mental-Health Mitigation Case: In the Matter of Charles Bruce Singleton, Jr. (S26Y0233) — Court: Supreme Court of Georgia...

Discredited Defendant Testimony Alone Cannot Prove Plea-Deal Prejudice Under Strickland/Lafler

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Discredited Defendant Testimony Alone Cannot Prove Plea-Deal Prejudice Under Strickland/Lafler 1. Introduction Jackson v. State (Supreme Court of Georgia, decided March 17, 2026) addresses a...

Jackson v. State: Disruptive Conduct Can Forfeit a Defendant’s Rights to Be Present and to Testify

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Jackson v. State: Disruptive Conduct Can Forfeit a Defendant’s Rights to Be Present and to Testify 1. Introduction In Jackson v. The State (Supreme Court of Georgia, March 17, 2026), Devon Jackson...

Patterson v. State (Ga. 2026): Ineffective-Assistance Claims Are Waived If Not Raised in the Motion for New Trial When New Counsel Is Appointed

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Patterson v. State (Ga. 2026): Ineffective-Assistance Claims Are Waived If Not Raised in the Motion for New Trial When New Counsel Is Appointed Court: Supreme Court of Georgia Date: March 17, 2026...

Co-Resident Lacks “Authority” to Enter Another Tenant’s Rented Bedroom for OCGA § 16-7-5(b) Home Invasion

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Co-Resident Lacks “Authority” to Enter Another Tenant’s Rented Bedroom for OCGA § 16-7-5(b) Home Invasion Introduction In Rainey v. State (Supreme Court of Georgia, decided March 17, 2026), Shadreen...

Failure to Object Does Not Waive an Ineligible-Juror Claim Absent Knowledge or Discoverability by Ordinary Diligence (Simms v. State)

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Failure to Object Does Not Waive an Ineligible-Juror Claim Absent Knowledge or Discoverability by Ordinary Diligence Case: Simms v. The State Court: Supreme Court of Georgia Date: March 17, 2026...

Williams v. State: Speculative Prejudice Is Insufficient to Overturn Denial of Continuance; Unpreserved Prosecutorial Misconduct Is Not Plain-Error Reviewable

Date: Mar 19, 2026

Williams v. State: Speculative Prejudice Is Insufficient to Overturn Denial of Continuance; Unpreserved Prosecutorial Misconduct Is Not Plain-Error Reviewable Introduction In Williams v. The State...

RPA Immunity Extends to City Sidewalks Used for Sightseeing in Historic Districts; “Recreational Use” Assessed Objectively

Date: Mar 19, 2026

RPA Immunity Extends to City Sidewalks Used for Sightseeing in Historic Districts; “Recreational Use” Assessed Objectively 1. Introduction In THE MAYOR AND ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF SAVANNAH v. McLAMB...

OCGA § 32-4-93(a) Limits Road-Defect Liability but Does Not Waive Municipal Immunity; OCGA § 36-33-1(b) Waiver Applies Only to Ministerial Street-Safety Duties Within Lanes of Ordinary Travel

Date: Mar 14, 2026

OCGA § 32-4-93(a) Limits Road-Defect Liability but Does Not Waive Municipal Immunity; OCGA § 36-33-1(b) Waiver Applies Only to Ministerial Street-Safety Duties Within Lanes of Ordinary Travel 1....

Confrontation Clause Requires Separate “Testimonial” Showing (Not Just Hearsay): Watkins v. State Partially Overruled After Smith v. Arizona

Date: Mar 14, 2026

Confrontation Clause Requires Separate “Testimonial” Showing (Not Just Hearsay): Watkins v. State Partially Overruled After Smith v. Arizona Supreme Court of Georgia — Decided March 12, 2026 —...

Untimely OCGA § 16-3-24.2 Immunity Motions: Trial-Court Discretion to Decline Consideration Once the OCGA § 17-7-110 Deadline Has Lapsed

Date: Mar 7, 2026

Untimely OCGA § 16-3-24.2 Immunity Motions: Trial-Court Discretion to Decline Consideration Once the OCGA § 17-7-110 Deadline Has Lapsed Introduction Mitchell v. State (Supreme Court of Georgia,...

Senior v. State: No Strickland Prejudice from Unused Felony-Impeachment Where Independent Eyewitness Evidence and Defense Theory Dilute Credibility Value

Date: Mar 7, 2026

No Strickland Prejudice from Unused Felony-Impeachment Where Independent Eyewitness Evidence and Defense Theory Dilute Credibility Value Introduction In Senior v. The State (Supreme Court of Georgia,...

Strong v. State (Ga. 2026) Commentary

Date: Mar 7, 2026

Unstricken Answer Is Evidence: A Prosecutor May Argue a Defendant’s Refusal to Demonstrate When the Refusal Was Heard by the Jury and Not Stricken Case: Strong v. State, S25A1107 (Supreme Court of...

Woods v. State: Deliberation-Schedule Guidance to Deadlocked Juries Is Not Coercion; Any Rule 404(b) Error Is Harmless Where Guilt Evidence Is Strong and Limited by Instructions

Date: Mar 7, 2026

Woods v. State: Deliberation-Schedule Guidance to Deadlocked Juries Is Not Coercion; Any Rule 404(b) Error Is Harmless Where Guilt Evidence Is Strong and Limited by Instructions Introduction In Woods...

Cuyler Governs Undisclosed Special Assistant Attorney General Conflicts; Sallie Presumption Confined to Rare, Egregious Dual-Role Cases

Date: Mar 7, 2026

Cuyler Governs Undisclosed Special Assistant Attorney General Conflicts; Sallie Presumption Confined to Rare, Egregious Dual-Role Cases 1. Introduction Gibson v. Head, Warden (Supreme Court of...

Hamilton v. State: Curative Instructions and “Intrinsic” Relationship-Difficulty Evidence in Georgia Murder Trials

Date: Mar 7, 2026

Hamilton v. State: Curative Instructions and “Intrinsic” Relationship-Difficulty Evidence in Georgia Murder Trials 1. Introduction In Hamilton v. The State (Supreme Court of Georgia, decided March 3,...

Default in Georgia Lawyer Discipline: Disbarment for Client Abandonment, Trust-Fund Conversion, and Practicing While Administratively Suspended

Date: Mar 7, 2026

Default in Georgia Lawyer Discipline: Disbarment for Client Abandonment, Trust-Fund Conversion, and Practicing While Administratively Suspended 1. Introduction In the Matter of Joseph William Cloud...