Georgia chief justice says judiciary 'strong,' urges action on court reporters, AI, legal deserts and statewide case management

Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs told a joint session of the Georgia General Assembly on Jan. 28 that "the state of Georgia's judiciary is strong," and outlined a set of priorities he said would preserve court operations, protect judges and improve access to justice.

Boggs told lawmakers he has created a committee to study generative artificial intelligence in courts, proposed giving trial judges the option to use digital recordings where court reporter coverage is unavailable, and urged legislative support for a statewide case-management system funded with federal ARPA money. He also highlighted continued gaps in legal services in rural counties and praised local specialty courts that help veterans.

The chief justice said the AI committee, led by Justice Andrew Pinson and Court of Appeals Judge Elizabeth Goebel, will coordinate with the State Bar and report by summer on both risks and opportunities AI poses for court proceedings. On court reporters, Boggs said the Judicial Council will offer judges the option of digital recording for…