EXPLAINER: How does the Chatham County Superior Court operate?

CORRECTION: The story has corrected to reflect the Chatham County Superior Court Chief Judge's name is Penny Haas-Freesemann and notes that there are six Chatham County Superior Court judges.

The judicial system is a complex organization of courts and circuits, each with its own well-defined role. With judgeships up for election during the 2022 cycle, here's an explanation of what the Superior Court does.

Created in 1777 as part of its constitution, Georgia has 159 superior courts and 49 superior court circuits, which are made up of one of more counties. Chatham County is a part of the Eastern Judicial Circuit and is the only county in the circuit.

The Chatham County Superior Court is comprised of a chief judge and six other judges, and each is elected to a four-year term in circuit-wide nonpartisan elections.

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What kinds of cases come before superior court?

Superior Court handles felony cases, civil disputes, family and domestic cases such as divorce and domestic cases. The court also issues restraining orders. Superior Court also has exclusive jurisdiction over divorces and may correct errors made by limited jurisdiction courts.

Who helps run Superior Court?

Superior Court is run by a court administrator who manages, oversees and directs the daily operations of the court system. He or she focuses on the general management side rather than legal areas. Crystal Taylor Cooper is the court administrator in Chatham County Superior Court.

The court administrator’s office also manages jury, court reporting and interpreter services, criminal case scheduling and court programs, including alternatives dispute resolution (ADR) program, a drug court, mental health court and veterans court program.

The court also has a clerk of court, Tammy Mosley, who is elected by residents every four years; Mosley was elected to a four-year term in November 2020 and her term expires in December 2024. The clerk is the keeper of records, meaning she holds documents kept by the court.

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What is the role as chief judge of Superior Court?

The chief judge is responsible for the administration of the court. Judge Penny Haas-Freesemann is the current chief judge over Chatham County Superior Court. She is responsible for the administration of the court and sits on various committees. She is also charged with issuing orders over the entire Chatham County Superior Court, such as at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How can residents access records from the Superior Court?

Residents can view records held by the Chatham County Superior Court by registering for an account with Odyssey, an online records account that keeps court documents. There is a fee to view and/or retrieve documents past the first page.

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How is a case appealed after it’s been in Superior Court?

Anyone involved in a civil suit or criminal case wishing to appeal a ruling in Superior Court would do so to either the Georgia Court of Appeals of the Georgia Supreme Court.

Raisa is a Watchdog and Investigative Reporter for The Savannah Morning News. Contact her at rhabersham@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Chatham County Superior Court: How it functions