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 many, "but not all," proceedings to address delays caused by a nationwide shortage of court reporters. "This proposal places no mandate on trial judges to use digital recording, but it does give them the much needed option," he said.

Boggs said Georgia still has seven counties with no licensed lawyers, leaving "more than 30,000 Georgians" without access to counsel in their home counties for matters such as evictions, child custody and adoption. He said he convened a Supreme Court study committee on legal regulatory reform, led by Justice Carla Wong McMillan and Court of Appeals Judge Steven Dillard, to examine whether regulatory changes could expand access without lowering professional standards.

On data infrastructure, Boggs described a push to replace 159 disparate local case-management systems with a statewide system for superior and state courts, funded by the governor using ARPA funds. He said the goal is to have a functional system by the end of the year and called the project "generationally transformative," arguing that missing or inaccurate data can hamper sentencing and public-safety determinations.

The chief justice also highlighted specialized local programs such as the Cobb County Veterans Accountability Treatment Court, which he said has graduated 64 veterans with an average recidivism rate of 7 percent. He gave national statistics about incarcerated veterans and substance use, and urged continued support for courts and programs that reduce recidivism.

Boggs raised security concerns, saying threats against judges and court staff have increased and citing federal data that credible threats against federal judges rose from 179 in 2019 to 457 in 2023. He said courts must upgrade physical security and provide training for judges and staff. He thanked lawmakers for passing measures last year to improve judicial security and asked for continued collaboration.

On compensation and independence, Boggs again urged lawmakers to back proposals to improve judicial pay. He identified two bills this year addressing judicial compensation—House Bill 885 (for superior court judges) and House Bill 86 (for statewide judges)—and said improving pay helps recruit and retain qualified judges. He also warned against efforts to politicize the judiciary and asked for legislation to end partisan elections for remaining probate and magistrate judges.

"As long as the people of Georgia understand and trust that our judiciary is faithfully carrying out that limited role, the rule of law will remain secure," Boggs said near the end of his remarks.

The chief justice closed by thanking legislators for past cooperation on medical-legal partnerships, kinship care programs and other initiatives that assist vulnerable Georgians, and by urging legislative support for the Judicial Council's forthcoming proposals on recording, data, security and regulator reform.

Looking ahead, Boggs asked the General Assembly to support the Judicial Council's recommendations and the funding already allocated for the statewide case-management effort so the courts can reduce delays, improve public safety and expand access to justice across Georgia.