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Georgia’s High Court Finds No Categorical Right to Counsel in Civil Contempt Proceedings
Georgia’s High Court Finds No Categorical Right to Counsel in Civil Contempt Proceedings
by David Reutter
The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed an appellate court’s ruling that decertified a plaintiff class of indigent parents who were jailed without being provided counsel following civil contempt proceedings brought by the …
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- Ninth Circuit: Abstention Inapplicable in First Amendment Cases, by Mark Wilson
- Tennessee Jail Breached Duty to Provide Medical Care; Damages Trial Ordered, by David Reutter
- Change in Florida Jail Policy Leads to Increased Homelessness, by David Reutter
- Prison Legal News Interviews Musician Wayne Kramer, by Paul Wright
- Eighth Circuit: Atheist Prisoner States Coerced Religious-Based Treatment Claim, by Mark Wilson
- Georgia’s High Court Finds No Categorical Right to Counsel in Civil Contempt Proceedings, by David Reutter
- GEO Group Rescinds $6 Million Donation to Name Stadium at Florida University, by David Reutter
- Private Prison Companies Reject Resolutions to Fund Rehabilitative, Reentry Programs
- Fifth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Prisoner’s Suit Claiming Lack of Medical Care, by Matthew Clarke
- Prison Violence in Brazil Connected to Abuse, Gangs, Overcrowding
- Eighth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Prisoner’s ADA/RA Claims, by Mark Wilson
- Misconduct at Washington State Civil Commitment Center as Concern Grows Over Releases, by David Reutter
- Georgia’s Execution Drug Secrecy Law Found Constitutional, by David Reutter
- Native American Prisoners Have Right to Tobacco in Religious Ceremonies, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit: Indefinite Stay and Denial of Guardian was Abuse of Discretion, by Mark Wilson
- For Shame! Public Shaming Sentences on the Rise, by David Reutter
- Book Review: Burning Down the House, by Nell Bernstein (The New Press, June 2014). 384 pages, $26.95, by Hannah K. Gold
- Second Circuit: Brady Claim Not Barred by Heck, by Mark Wilson
- Eighth Circuit: Ruling Required on Prison Officials’ Qualified Immunity Defense
- Eighth Circuit: Jail Guards Denied Summary Judgment for Use of Force against Detainees, by David Reutter
- Seventh Circuit: Dismissal due to Nonpayment of Filing Fee Requires Assessment, by Mark Wilson
- United States, Britain Offer Training to “Improve” Prison Conditions in Afghanistan
- California: Local Ordinances Banning Sex Offenders from Parks Invalidated, by Mark Wilson
- Montana: Extradition Costs Not Recoverable as Restitution, by Mark Wilson
- Life Sentences Spike in Recent Years – Especially in Utah
- Court Finds PLN’s Rights Violated by Arizona Jail; Case Settles for $15,293
- Eighth Circuit: Deliberate Indifference Standard GovernsMedical Care for Civilly Committed Detainees, by Mark Wilson
- Eighth Circuit: No Qualified Immunity for Jail Prisoner Raped in Unlocked Cell; $60,000 Verdict at Trial, by Mark Wilson
- Wisconsin Prison Guard Union Faces Challenges, by Derek Gilna
- Five Deaths in Eleven Months at California Jail Spark Grand Jury Probe
- Washington DOSA Revocation Requires Credit for Community Custody Time, by Mark Wilson
- Texas: $100 Medical Copay for Prisoners Generates Less Revenue than Expected, by Matthew Clarke
- Dialing with Dollars: How County Jails Profit From Immigrant Detainees, by Leticia Miranda
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
More from David Reutter:
- Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026
- Florida Supreme Court Announces Rule 3.170(f)’s Good-Cause Plea-Withdrawal Standard Does Not Apply at Post-Appeal Resentencing, April 1, 2026
- Colorado Supreme Court Announces Defendant Must Be Competent Before Undergoing Mental-Condition Examination Under § 16-8-107(3)(b), April 1, 2026
- California Court of Appeal Announces Plea Agreements Cannot Bar § 1172.1 Resentencing, Holds Merit-Based Denial of Petition Is Appealable, April 1, 2026
- Georgia Supreme Court Clarifies That Failure to Object to Ineligible Juror Does Not Constitute Waiver Unless Party Knew or Could Have Discovered Ineligibility Through Ordinary Diligence, April 1, 2026
- Washington State Guard’s Conviction Affirmed in Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Scheme, March 1, 2026
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Holds Motion Judge Abused Discretion by Denying Evidentiary Hearing on IAC Claim Where Plea Counsel’s Affidavit Was Not Inherently Inconsistent With Colloquy Statements Regarding Immigration Advice, March 1, 2026
- Washington Supreme Court Clarifies Double Jeopardy Analysis for Multiple Assault Convictions, Holding That Assaultive Acts Occurring Over Short Time Period in Same Location Without Intervening Events Constitute Single Course of Conduct, March 1, 2026
- New Jersey Supreme Court Reverses Drug Convictions Under Cumulative Error Doctrine, Holding Combined Effect of Improper References to Television Series, Gun Violence, and Search Warrants Deprived Defendant of Fair Trial, March 1, 2026
- New York Court of Appeals Announces Coercive Police Tactics Compelling Suspect to Exit Home Constitute “Constructive Entry” Violating Payton, Holds Attenuation Analysis Applies to Third-Party Consent, March 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Oregon Supreme Court Announces Bright-Line Rule Requiring Dismissal Without Prejudice When State Fails to Appoint Counsel for Eligible Criminal Defendant Within 60 Days in Misdemeanor Cases or 90 Days in Felony Cases Post-Arraignment, March 1, 2026. Appointment of Counsel, Public Defenders, Indigent Defense, Constitution, state, Counsel - Right to.
- Shadow Prisons: How Civil Commitment Leads to Longer Confinement, Jan. 1, 2026. Sex Offender Treatment, Involuntary Treatment/Drugging, Civil Commitment, Sexually Dangerous Persons/Sexual Violent Predators, Sex Offense Registration Act (SORNA).
- Maryland Supreme Court Announces Public Defender Act Requires Effective Assistance of Counsel in Certiorari Petition Where Public Defender Appointed Panel Attorney for Direct Appeal and Certiorari Petition, Dec. 15, 2025. Public Defenders, Indigent Defense, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Strickland Standard.
- Fifth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Suit by Civilly Committed Texan, Dec. 1, 2025. Sex Offenders (Discrimination), Conditions of Confinement, Complaints, Grievances, Civil Commitment.
- Oklahoma Prisoner Found Unconscious in Cell Hours After Avoiding Execution, Dec. 1, 2025. Public Defenders, Pardons/Clemency, Life without Parole (LWOP), Death Penalty, Effective Assistance of Counsel.
- Idaho Supreme Court Announces Warrantless Search of Civilly Committed Individual Violates Fourth Amendment, Oct. 15, 2025. Civil Commitment, Exclusionary Rule, Pat Down Searches, Scope of Permissible Searches, Suspicionless Searches.
- Minnesota’s $100 Million-Per-Year Civil Commitment Program Has No “Discernible Impact” on Sex Crimes, Oct. 15, 2024. Sex Offenders (Discrimination), Databases, Civil Commitment.
- Minnesota Sex Offender Program: The Indefinite Detention of the Reviled, Aug. 1, 2024. Sex Offender Registration, Civil Commitment, Sex Offender Classification.
- Idaho Continues To Cell “Dangerously Mentally Ill” Without Charges, June 1, 2024. Conditions of Confinement, Totality of Conditions, Lockdowns, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Civil Commitment.
- Seventh Circuit: Heck Bars Civil Rights Challenges to Civil Commitment, June 1, 2024. Civil Commitment, Civil Commitment - Relief from, Heck Rule.