A roundup of legal news from across Georgia.

Pullen’s retirement could take toll on other judges: The ink has barely dried on Superior Court Judge Doug Pullen’s retirement letter, but judges and court officials already are preparing for his departure next week. Pullen’s decision Monday to hang up the robe amid scrutiny from the state’s judicial oversight agency means the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit will be faced with an empty bench several months sooner than anticipated. Pullen had made no secret of his intention to retire, but he once planned to finish out the year in part because he knew a prolonged vacancy could take a toll on his colleagues. (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer)

Trial postponed: As expected, a judge postponed the separate trial of suspended Broxton Mayor Bobby Reynolds and his daughter, the former city clerk, which had been scheduled to begin Monday at the Coffee County Courthouse. District Attorney Rick Currie requested the continuance saying he needed more time to respond to motions filed last week by John Thigpen, who is defending Reynolds and his daughter, Tracy Reynolds Lott. (The Florida Times-Union)

A roundup of legal news from across Georgia.

Pullen retires after JQC meeting: After a series of meetings Monday with an investigator and the director of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, embattled Muscogee Superior Court Judge Douglas C. Pullen faxed his retirement letter to Gov. Nathan Deal. He has spent 16 years on the bench and 40 years as a prosecutor and judge. His final day will be Sept. 1. Pullen, who was planning to leave at the end of the year, has been at the center of a judicial misconduct probe for weeks. (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer)

Judge holds first hearing in Cobb EMC case: At the special Cobb EMC meeting on Sept. 17, members will not consider language in a proposed bylaw amendment that would prohibit the electric co-op’s directors from supporting a slate of candidates, Judge Stephen Schuster ruled Monday. The plaintiffs who brought suit against the cooperative in 2007 had hoped to have members vote on whether to add this sentence to the organization’s bylaws: “Cobb EMC may not oppose, disapprove, fund, recommend or support in any matter, directly or indirectly, any candidate for a director position.” But Judge Schuster ruled Monday that he has no authority to allow that. (The Marietta Daily Journal)

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported late last night that a lawyer attacked in the 100 block of Spring Street blamed his beating on a disgruntled client.

The attacker ambushed Rand Csehy, of the Csehy Law Group, around 7 p.m. Read more »

A roundup of legal news from across Georgia.

Judge’s gifts scrutinized: Over the past decade, Superior Court Judge Douglas C. Pullen has quietly become accustomed to doling out huge sums of other people’s money, and at times receiving public recognition as a major philanthropist. He’s approved more than $33.8 million — substantially more than any other judge in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit — in contributions to dozens of charities, universities and other organizations in Columbus and around the state, according to a review of hundreds of documents provided to the Ledger-Enquirer under the Georgia Open Records Act. (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer)

Augusta putting retired judges to work: Despite state and city budget deficits, employee furloughs, and the attempted firing of Augusta’s city administrator for giving some employees raises, the judicial branch continues to spend money for retired judges to do the job of sitting judges. Superior Court Chief Judge J. Carlisle Overstreet defended the measure as a way to cut the overall costs of jail beds and court time. (The Augusta Chronicle)

Trial for suspended Broxton mayor delayed: A judge is expected to postpone the separate trials of suspended Broxton Mayor Bobby Reynolds and his daughter, the former city clerk, which were scheduled to begin today at the Coffee County Courthouse. Reynolds and his daughter, Tracy Reynolds Lott, face charges resulting from an investigation into the disappearance of about $575,000 in city funds. Jury selection had been set to begin this morning. (The Florida Times-Union)

According to The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.), the U.S. Attorney who successfully prosecuted a reputed Klansman in 2007 for the beating deaths of two African-American teens in 1964 died last night, just 15 days after the murderer he helped put behind bars.

U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton, 60, apparently died of natural causes. Convicted Klansman James Ford Seale died in prison on Aug. 2. He was 76. Seale was serving three life sentences for killing Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore. Read more »

A roundup of legal news from across Georgia.

JQC probing several Pullen rulings: Investigators probing potential judicial misconduct within the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit have broadened their inquiry to include a number of high-profile civil cases handled by departing Superior Court Judge Doug Pullen. Linda Pierce, the Muscogee County Clerk of Superior Court, confirmed Wednesday that the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the agency that oversees the state’s judges, and special prosecutor Joe W. Hendricks Jr. have asked to review court documents related to Columbus’ long-running lawsuit against online travel company Expedia, as well as several class-action lawsuits Pullen has handled. (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer)

A roundup of legal news from across Georgia.

Olens touts tougher sex trafficking laws: A discussion about tougher laws against sex trafficking at a tea party meeting might not be quite what the attendees expected of Georgia’s attorney general, but Sam Olens told the crowd he considered it one of his greatest achievements during his first seven months in office. “Just because it isn’t on the voters’ minds doesn’t mean it isn’t high on my list,” Olens said after his speech. (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)

Child molester finally jailed: It took nearly eight years, but a Columbus man sentenced in 2003 to 15 years in prison for child molestation was finally taken into custody Tuesday after a hearing in Muscogee County Superior Court. But the proceedings before Chief Judge John Allen did not fully resolve the extraordinary case of Melvin Charles Moseley Sr., a case judges say fell through the cracks of the local criminal justice system. (Columbus Leger-Enquirer)

Grand Jury presentment expunged: Baker County Superior Court Judge J. Kevin Chason late Monday ordered the expungement of all portions of the Baker County Grand Jury’s July Term presentment related to the Baker County School Board. In the order, Chason wrote that he found “such portions of the subject Presentments were, and are, overbroad and beyond specific statutory powers contained in OCGA 15-12-71 as a matter of law and, accordingly, must be expunged from the record of this Court.” (Albany Herald)

A roundup of legal news from across Georgia.

Pullen considering retirement: Superior Court Judge Douglas C. Pullen said Friday afternoon he is strongly considering retirement and will not complete his term, which expires in 17 months. The effective date for Pullen’s retirement will likely be early next year. He said he plans to teach a spring semester course at Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law, his alma mater. Pullen’s revelation comes as a special prosecutor has been assigned to investigate potential criminal issues involving judges in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. It also comes amid an investigation by the Judicial Qualifications Commission, which has oversight of Georgia judges. (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer)

Investigator files suit against Chatham DA: A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court accuses Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisolm of harassment and retaliation against a former investigator in violation of the man’s civil rights. Jonathan Drummond contends in the suit that Chisolm hired him because Chisolm is attracted to males, then turned on him when Drummond rejected perceived advances. His suit, filed Aug. 4 by attorney Gwendolyn Fortson Waring, alleges violations of civil rights and gender discrimination, retaliation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. (Savannah Morning News)

Lawyers could be banned from Cobb school hearings: The Cobb County school board may take away district employees’ right to have representation during disciplinary hearings at their Aug. 25 meeting. Human Resources Chief Dr. Donald Dunnigan made the request during the board’s morning work session Wednesday. Cobb County was one of the first school districts in Georgia to allow representation when the rule was instituted nearly 10 years ago. (The Marietta Daily Journal)

A roundup of legal news from across Georgia.

AG appoints DA to probe possible criminal activity among judges: A north Georgia district attorney has been appointed by the state attorney general to probe potential criminal activity among the six-judge Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. The appointment, which happened more than two months ago, has prompted District Attorney Joe W. Hendricks Jr., of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit, to make several visits to Columbus, including one Thursday. Hendricks, in an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer, declined to name any individuals associated with his investigation, but he confirmed the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s involvement in the criminal probe. (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer)

Arguments over DNA testing in Stocking Strangler case continue: In his latest court filing, Stocking Strangler Carlton Gary argues that prosecutors have no compelling reasons against further DNA testing. Prosecutors and defense attorneys have argued back and forth for months in court filings about whether clothing taken from 64-year-old rape victim Gertrude Miller should be DNA tested. The prosecution opposes further testing, arguing that it’s uncertain if Miller was wearing the clothes when attacked in 1977. (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer)

Earlier this week, The Daily Show covered the story of a Florida couple who foreclosed on their local Bank of America branch after the bank tried to foreclose on them.

As reported in numerous other media outlets in early June, Warren and Maureen Nyerges paid cash for their Naples home in 2009. Thanks to some kind of serious mix up, Bank of America sent the couple a foreclosure notice in 2010. Read more »