Clayton County State Court accepts multiple pleas, imposes suspended sentences and fines on Jan. 15 arraignment calendar

Judge Tammy Long Hayward opened the Jan. 15, 2026, 10:00 a.m. arraignment calendar in Clayton County State Court (Courtroom 304) by advising defendants of their rights, the three plea options (not guilty, guilty, nolo contendere) and the potential consequences of entering pleas, including effects on commercial driver’s licenses. “Everyone is entitled to have an attorney represent you,” Hayward told the virtual courtroom, and she repeatedly warned that pleas can be hard to undo.

The court resolved dozens of matters across the morning and into the 11:00 and 1:00 calendars. Several defendants accepted negotiated pleas that the court approved and sentenced consistent with state recommendations. A typical disposition the judge imposed was a suspended 12‑month sentence with a short period of jail credited as time served (commonly 1–2 days), probation, and fines with surcharges. For example, Tony Davion Brown entered a nolo contendere plea to speeding (31–34 mph) and was sentenced to 12 months with 1 day to serve and the balance suspended contingent on no new violations; the court noted a cash‑bond refund…