See You In Court

What happens after the lawyers finish arguing and the judges leave the courtroom?

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges explains that, unless a case is clear-cut, the conversation among judges often begins almost immediately.

In this See You In Court clip, Judge Hodges describes how he asks the other judges what they think, follows up when necessary, and continues the discussion as they work through difficult legal questions.

It is a behind-the-scenes look at appellate deliberation and the collaborative process that helps Georgia Court of Appeals judges reach their decisions.

Hear the full conversation with Judge Hodges, Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate:

https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

Watch the full episode:

https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Learn more about See You In Court:

https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

#SeeYouInCourt #SeeYouInCourtPodcast #GeorgiaCourtOfAppeals #AppellateLaw #GeorgiaLaw #CivilJustice #KenHodges

What happens when artificial intelligence invents legal cases and those citations make their way into a court filing?

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges says the court is already dealing with the issue.

In this See You In Court clip, Judge Hodges discusses a lawyer whose briefs appeared to contain AI-generated material, the additional legal education he required, and why the court takes fabricated citations seriously.

The conversation grows out of a larger point Judge Hodges makes about appellate review: the Court of Appeals checks the record and verifies whether attorneys’ representations are accurate.

He also discusses the court’s increased sanctions authority, from $2,500 to $10,000, and whether stronger consequences may help deter this type of conduct.

Artificial intelligence appears elsewhere in Episode 54 as well, as Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate examine another developing question: what happens when alleged harm involving AI itself becomes the subject of litigation?

Hear the full conversation with Judge Hodges:

https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

Watch the full episode:

https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Learn more:

https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

#SeeYouInCourt #ArtificialIntelligence #LegalAI #GeorgiaLaw #GeorgiaCourtOfAppeals #AppellateLaw #CivilJustice #KenHodges

“If it’s not in the record, it didn’t happen.”

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges explains why transcripts can be critically important when a case reaches the appellate court.

The Court of Appeals is a court of review. If an evidentiary hearing is important to an issue on appeal but there is no transcript or record of what occurred, the appellate court may have to defer to the trial judge.

Judge Hodges also explains that the court does not simply accept what attorneys say happened. The record is checked to make sure counsel’s representations are accurate.

Hear the full conversation with Judge Hodges, Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate:

https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

Watch the full episode:

https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Learn more about See You In Court:

https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

#SeeYouInCourt #SeeYouInCourtPodcast #GeorgiaCourtOfAppeals #AppellateLaw #GeorgiaLaw #CivilJustice #KenHodges

What happens when a judge personally disagrees with the law?

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges explains why his judicial philosophy centers on applying the law fairly and correctly, regardless of personal preference.

“We’re not here to make law. It’s our job to follow the rule of law.”

In this See You In Court clip, Judge Hodges discusses the role of the legislature, judicial restraint, and the responsibility appellate judges have to follow established law even when they may prefer a different outcome.

Hear the full conversation with Judge Hodges, Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate:

https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

Watch the full episode:
https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Learn more about See You In Court:
https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

#SeeYouInCourt #SeeYouInCourtPodcast #RuleOfLaw #GeorgiaCourtOfAppeals #GeorgiaLaw #AppellateLaw #CivilJustice #KenHodges

What gives Georgians confidence that their cases will receive a fair review when they reach the appellate courts?

In this clip, Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges explains why he believes Georgia’s judicial system works better than many partisan court systems around the country.

Although Georgia’s appellate judges may have different backgrounds and perspectives, Judge Hodges says they work collaboratively, avoid personal agendas, and focus on reaching the correct result under the law.

That commitment to fairness, collegiality, and judicial independence is central to maintaining public trust in the courts.

Listen to the complete episode for more details and context on how appellate decisions are made, the workload facing Georgia’s courts, artificial intelligence in legal filings, judicial security, Judge Hodges’ career, and his definition of justice.

Listen on Podbean:
https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Learn more about See You In Court:
https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

#GeorgiaCourts #CourtOfAppeals #JudicialIndependence #RuleOfLaw #GeorgiaLaw #SeeYouInCourtPodcast

Judges make decisions that can significantly affect people’s lives. But what happens when disagreement with those decisions turns into threats, retaliation, or political pressure?

In this clip, Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges discusses the security concerns judges and their families may face once they leave the courthouse. He and host Robin Frazer Clark also examine why Georgia has generally done a better job than many states at keeping partisan politics out of its appellate courts.

Protecting the judicial system involves more than courthouse security. It also means allowing judges to follow the law without fear and preserving public confidence that court decisions are based on legal principles rather than political influence.

Listen to the complete episode for more details and context on judicial security, appellate decision-making, threats to the judiciary, Judge Hodges’ judicial philosophy, and the importance of protecting the rule of law.

Listen on Podbean:
https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Learn more about See You In Court:
https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

#JudicialSecurity #JudicialIndependence #RuleOfLaw #GeorgiaCourts #CivilJustice #SeeYouInCourtPodcast

A new wrongful death lawsuit raises a difficult legal question: Can an artificial intelligence company be held responsible when its technology allegedly contributes to a person’s death?

In this clip, Lester Tate and Robin Frazer Clark discuss claims involving ChatGPT and a 29-year-old Alabama woman. They examine the reported product liability theories, including negligent design, failure to warn, wrongful death, and what the discovery process could reveal about known risks and possible safeguards.

As artificial intelligence becomes more interactive and more involved in people’s lives, courts may be asked to decide where product responsibility begins and how existing liability laws apply to rapidly evolving technology.

Listen to the complete episode for more details and context, including Judge Ken Hodges’ perspective on artificial intelligence in legal filings, appellate review, judicial responsibility, and the rule of law.

Watch the full episode:
https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Learn more about See You In Court:
https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

#ArtificialIntelligence #ProductLiability #WrongfulDeath #CivilJustice #LegalTechnology #SeeYouInCourtPodcast

 

 

Kenneth (Ken) Bryant Hodges, III was elected to the Court of Appeals by the citizens

of Georgia in 2018, winning every county in the state with wide bipartisan support in a

contested election for a rare open seat on the Court. Judge Hodges took office on Jan.

1, 2019, and was elected again state-wide in 2024. With deep experience in diverse

practice areas, Judge Hodges has served as a prosecutor, defended criminal cases,

and been on both sides of a dispute in civil matters. He has been a court appointed

receiver and a mediator. Judge Hodges is applying this experience on the bench to

uphold the rule of law and ensure justice for all.

Judge Hodges was born and raised in Albany, GA. He graduated from Episcopal High

School in Alexandria, VA, and earned his B.A. from Emory University in Political

Science and Sociology with a minor in English in 1988. While at the University of

Georgia Law School, he participated in a clinical program with a public defender and

was sworn in under the Third Year Student Practice Act to try cases. He earned his J.D.

from UGA Law in 1991 and set out to become a litigator. After working with a litigation

firm in Atlanta, he returned to Albany as an Assistant District Attorney.

Judge Hodges was elected District Attorney of the Dougherty Judicial Circuit in 1996 at

the age of 30. Within the first two years, he cleared out a backlog of eight death

penalty cases and took them to trial. He formed trial teams which effectively ended

unnecessary delays in moving cases forward, and focused on laws and programs to

better protect children in the county. This included a child prosecution unit, a child

advocacy center, a truancy program to target unauthorized school absences, and he

also established a sexual assault unit. In his second term, he was named District

Attorney of the Year for the State of Georgia. 

During his 12 years as District Attorney, Ken was committed to managing an efficient office, which operated under budget every year. He was elected President of the DA’s Association and also served as Chairman of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council; he was appointed by Governor Roy Barnes as Chairman of the Legal Loan Forgiveness Task Force and as a member of the Certainty in Sentencing Commission.

In 2008, he returned to private practice, working in transactional law and then

litigation. In 2015, Ken started his own law firm, Ken Hodges Law, based in Albany and

Atlanta with a focus on commercial litigation. Judge Hodges was elected President of

the State Bar of Georgia (2018-2019), the first judge to lead the organization in its

history. He currently serves on the State Bar’s Office of General Counsel Oversight

Committee, is Chairman of the Advisory Board for Truist-Albany, and is Vice-Chairman

of the Albany-Dougherty Airport Commission. Ken also serves on the Board of Advisors

of University of Georgia’s State Botanical Garden and the Board of Directors of the

Southwest Georgia Legal Self-Help Center, a non-profit that works to improve access

to justice for low-income people in the region.

Judge Hodges has been widely recognized for his legal and civic accomplishments

during his more than 27 years as a practicing attorney, including as the recipient of the

State Bar’s Commitment to Equality Award, the Justice Benham Award for CommunityService, and The Eagle Award from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for his work on behalf of crime victims.

Links:

https://www.gaappeals.gov/

http://www.akintate.com/

https://www.gatriallawyers.net/

See You In Court (seeyouincourtpodcast.org)

To learn more about the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation, visit fairplay.org

Why Nick Moraitakis Chose Mediation After Retirement

Podbean Description
Retirement didn’t mean stepping away from the law completely for Nick Moraitakis.

After decades as both a defense lawyer and plaintiff’s attorney, Nick found that mediation gave him a way to stay mentally engaged while using his experience for a different purpose.

In this clip, he also explains why understanding and respecting both sides matters. Having worked in defense himself, Nick knows the pressure those attorneys face and brings that perspective into the mediation room.

The full interview goes much deeper into Nick’s nearly 50-year legal career, his work on major Georgia cases, how mediation has changed, and what he’s learned from representing people on both sides of civil disputes.

Watch the full episode:
https://youtu.be/RTqwiQj2kjA

Listen to the full episode on Podbean:
https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/righting-wrongs-with-nick-moraitakis

Learn more about Nick Moraitakis:
https://www.cunninghambounds.com/legal-team/nicholas-c-moraitakis/

Learn more about See You in Court:
https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org

Learn more about the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation:
https://fairplay.org

#SeeYouInCourt #Mediation #CivilJustice #GeorgiaLaw #LegalPodcast

You can’t rush mediation.

Nick Moraitakis compares the process to cooking soup or stew. Sometimes, both sides need time to work through their positions, get tired of holding the line, and finally move toward an agreement.

So what is a case worth?

Nick puts it simply: it’s worth the most the defense will pay and the least the plaintiff will accept. Hopefully, those numbers meet.

Watch the full episode:
https://youtu.be/RTqwiQj2kjA

Listen to the full episode on Podbean:
https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/righting-wrongs-with-nick-moraitakis

Learn more about Nick Moraitakis:
https://www.cunninghambounds.com/legal-team/nicholas-c-moraitakis/

Learn more about See You in Court:
https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org

Learn more about the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation:
https://fairplay.org

#SeeYouInCourt #Mediation #CivilJustice #GeorgiaLaw #LegalPodcast