See You In Court

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges discusses the strength of the rule of law and why he believes Georgia’s nonpartisan judicial system performs better than many others.

While political pressure and accusations can arise when courts decide controversial cases, Judge Hodges says Georgia has largely succeeded in keeping politics outside the judiciary.

The broader Episode 54 discussion also addresses judicial security, political pressure and protecting the integrity of Georgia’s courts.

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

Former DeKalb County District Attorney, attorney, professor, and author J. Tom Morgan joins Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate for a powerful conversation about the murder of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown, the prosecution of former Sheriff Sidney Dorsey, and the true story behind Morgan’s new book, A Rainy Night in Georgia.

Morgan takes listeners inside the investigation, the allegations of corruption surrounding the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, the prosecution strategy that ultimately led to Dorsey’s conviction, and the chilling discovery that Morgan himself had also been targeted.

The conversation also explores the broader lessons that still resonate more than 25 years later, including unchecked power, government accountability, investigative journalism, public service, checks and balances, and the importance of equal justice under the rule of law.

Morgan also reflects on the challenges of turning a complex legal case into a compelling book, the role of attorneys including Ken Hodges, Shawn Ellen LaGrua, John Floyd, Brian Steel, and Don Samuel, and why professionalism within the adversarial system still matters.

As always, Robin and Lester close the conversation by asking their guest a central question: How do you define justice?

Learn more about J. Tom Morgan:
https://jtommorganlaw.com/

Learn more about A Rainy Night in Georgia:
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Rainy-Night-in-Georgia/J-Tom-Morgan/9781493094844

Watch See You In Court on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@seeyouincourtpodcast

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

What does justice mean when every case presents different facts, different people and different legal issues?

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges explains why he does not believe in “cookie-cutter justice” and shares an example of having to abandon an outcome he preferred because reaching it would have required ignoring existing law and precedent.

For Judge Hodges, justice ultimately depends on honest, fair-minded judges doing their best to get the law and the decision right. His comments reinforce a central theme of the full Episode 54 conversation: judges are responsible for applying the law, not simply reaching the outcome they would personally like.

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

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges traces part of his interest in the law back to childhood summers in Albany, where he watched his father practice in municipal court.

In this clip, Judge Hodges remembers sitting in the jury box, watching the lawyers argue their cases and then joining them and the judge at a nearby coffee shop to listen to courtroom stories.

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

 

Have you ever wondered what actually happens during an appellate court argument?

You can watch for yourself.

In this See You In Court clip, Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges explains that the court live streams oral arguments and makes past arguments available online as well.

Whether you want to follow a particular case or simply see how appellate arguments work, the court provides the public with an opportunity to watch the process firsthand.

Watch Georgia Court of Appeals oral arguments:

https://www.gaappeals.gov/

Hear the complete Episode 54 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:

https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

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

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