Fulton County Superior Court is seeking another judge, saying its 20-member bench cannot keep pace with a growing workload.

State lawmakers and county commissioners recently toured the courthouse as the court renewed its push for a 21st judgeship. In an Oct. 9 announcement, the court said it handles tens of thousands of cases annually and described its civil and criminal courts as Georgia’s busiest.

The request affects residents throughout Fulton County, including Sandy Springs. Superior Court hears felony trials, divorce cases and other civil matters, while state, magistrate, municipal and other courts handle additional categories of cases.

Lawmakers hear workload concerns

Several judges and the clerk of court briefed the delegation during visits to court administration, clerk’s offices, the Justice Resource Center and jury facilities.

The discussions extended beyond adding a judge. Officials considered increasing the current $25 daily juror allowance, expanding accountability courts and assigning a full-time judge to the Competency Docket, which addresses defendants’ ability to stand trial.

Housing insecurity among people facing mental health challenges was also discussed. The announcement did not identify a proposed new juror payment or a timetable for those changes.

Jurors currently receive $25 for each day of service to help cover expenses such as parking and lunch, according to the court’s jury-duty FAQ.

Recent appointments filled vacancies

The judgeship request follows the arrival of David H. Emadi, Debbie-Ann R. Rickman and Nikia Smith Sellers.

Gov. Brian Kemp announced their appointments June 24. All three filled existing vacancies rather than expanding the bench. The court welcomed them in a Sept. 30 announcement.

Sellers previously supervised prosecutions in Fulton County’s drug, behavioral health and veterans accountability courts. She also handled cases on the Competency Docket.

Emadi previously led the State Ethics Commission, while Rickman served as a Fulton County magistrate judge.

The court’s latest announcement did not identify legislation or a funding proposal for the additional judgeship. Its request remains a push for more judicial capacity, with no approval announced.