Choices Abound in Fulton Judge Races

publication date: Nov 1, 2008

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author/source: John Fredericks / STAFF

By John Fredericks / STAFF

Judicial races, usually down on the ballot and non-partisan, are typically not the hottest kitchen table fodder topic on Election Day. Unless there is a scandal, the incumbent usually cruises to victory, thus the “I” by a candidate’s name becomes all-powerful. Normally apolitical in nature, the competing candidates stress experience and qualifications. Rarely do they run negative ads or attack each other. There are three judicial races on the ballot this year: Two for Fulton County Superior Court and one for Fulton County State Court. These are non-partisan elections and each carries a four-year term. Assuming no candidate amasses 50 percent, there will be December 2 run-off between the top two vote getters in each race.

Superior Court is the highest level of court in the state system outside of the appellate courts. It mainly hears felonies, family law and financial cases.

The State Court hears criminal cases below the grade of felony, as well as civil actions.

Here is a look at the races and candidates.

Fulton County Superior Court Race 1
Incumbent State Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford is a definite exception to the intro above: he is a proverbial magnet for controversy. Bedford caught flak with the midtown crowd in 2007 when he ruled in favor of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and made Piedmont Park pay them damages over the parking deck they built. One thing is for sure in midtown: don’t mess with their park.

In another bizarre ruling, the veteran judge approved bail for Cori Williams, a murder suspect in a Little Five Points slaying. To top this off he ordered that Fulton County D.A. Paul Howard be handcuffed in his courtroom, turning the verbal fire between Howard and jurists into a circus sideshow. Bedford had ordered a deputy to escort Howard from the courtroom after the prosecutor continued to berate jurors who had just acquitted an accused rapist that Howard believed was guilty.

And of course we have the normal pre-election day ethics complaint filed by some so-called government watchdog group charging he abused his power by, among other things, doling out hefty fines for people whose cell phones go off in his courtroom and donating the fines to his favorite pet charity. The complaint says he failed to be thorough on his campaign disclosure forms, and discussed pending cases outside the courtroom. The State Ethics Commission and Judicial Qualifications Commission have yet to weigh in on the complaint.

Bedford was elected to the Superior Court of Fulton County in 1996 and reelected in 2000 and 2004. He is a past president of the Atlanta Bar Association and a former Naval officer and Vietnam War Veteran.

Bedford’s challenger is Atlanta Magistrate Judge Keisha Lance Bottoms, who has 14 years of varied experience as a lawyer. She has also served as a legal analyst with WXIA-TV (NBC) in Atlanta.

Fulton County Superior Court Race 2
There are eight candidates vying for the second judgeship and no incumbent, so the race is wide open. A quick look at the candidates’ backgrounds.

 
Patrise Hooker ­– Specialist in general corporate and commercial real estate law. She lost a 2004 Fulton County Superior Court bid.

Kelly Lee – Partner at a local firm and specializes in contract and insurance coverage disputes.

Myles Eastwood – He was considered by Gov. Sonny Perdue to fill an open position in the court, but was not appointed.

Lawrence Cooper – Litigator specializing in cases involving brain and spinal cord injuries and family law.

Kimberly Esmond Adams – A Notre Dame graduate and veteran of several high-profile trials, she is the Fulton County Chief Senior District Attorney.

Karlise Yvette Grier – An Atlanta native and Emory Law School graduate who heads her own firm specializing in domestic relations cases.

Patricia “Pat” Jackson – Prosecuted cases in Atlanta municipal and Fulton County Superior Court.

Mike Wallace – Has presided over cases for the last four years as a fill-in judge to reduce the backlog of cases.

Fulton County State Court
A mere six months after being appointed to the bench by Gov. Sonny Perdue, Fulton County State Court Judge Susan Edlein faces two opponents in the General Election: Clayton County Senior Assistant District Attorney Anece Baxter White and former Fulton County Juvenile Judge Wanda L. Dallas.

Edlein gave up a high profile and high-paying job with Holland and Knight, a big civil lawsuit firm, to accept the bench position. She says her experience in a private law firm and work with businesses and commercial litigation has helped her preside with knowledge and authority over the similar cases in State Court.

Baxter White, a former army lawyer, serves in the Clayton County District Attorney’s office. She says she’s the sole candidate who’s argued before the state Supreme Court, and says she’s never had a case overturned on appeal.

Wanda Dallas is a former trial lawyer and judge who also taught civil and criminal litigation at Georgia State University. She says the court must process misdemeanors effectively to help maintain public safety and the quality of life for residents. She also wants to implement an electronic filing system to cut costs and streamline operations.