Dougherty County Georgia LOGO

MEDIA ADVISORY

September 23, 2020

MEDIA CONTACT:

WENDY HOWELL

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER

229.854.0006 or 229.302.3006

[email protected]



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



DOUGHERTY COUNTY, GEORGIA - On Thursday, September 24, 2020, at 1 p.m., Superior Court Chief Judge Willie Lockette will be holding a press conference in Courtroom 218 of the Dougherty County Judicial Building located at 225 Pine Avenue. The purpose of the press conference is to update the public on the start-up of holding Grand Jury in the Dougherty County Judicial Circuit.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple Declarations of Judicial Emergency have been trans- mitted by Chief Justice Harold Melton of the Supreme Court of Georgia for the Dougherty Judicial Circuit. The most recent order, initiated on September 11, 2020, extended the order through October 10, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Under these orders, all courts in the Dougherty Judicial Circuit were directed to continue to use teleconferences and video conferences as the preferred alternative to in-person proceedings to conduct both essential and non-essential civil and criminal proceedings, whenever possible.

With regard to Grand Jury Proceedings and Jury Trials, the Courts in the Dougherty Judicial Circuit were ordered to proceed under discretion of the Superior Court Chief Judge, who is allowed to amend the Order to incorporate any clarifications, guidelines and procedures that are to be adopted for the resumption of Grand Jury proceedings, as well as jury trials. During the Thursday press conference, Chief Judge Lockette will present the procedures and guidelines that will be set forth in regard to Grand Jury proceedings for the Dougherty Judicial Circuit.

The press conference will be broadcast live on the Dougherty County Georgia Government Face- book page. Viewers can tune in at facebook.com/Dougherty.ga.us. For the latest Declaration of Judicial Emergency Order, visit https://www.dougherty.ga.us/visitors-community/news-events/public-no- tices/declaration-of-judicial-emergency,-september-11,-2020.