A civil lawsuit filed Wednesday in Richmond County Superior Court is trying to stop the break-up of the Augusta Judicial Circuit.
The lawsuit, filed by attorney Willie Saunders, includes three arguments.
The first argument is that the Judicial Council of Georgia oversees the state’s judicial circuits. The council, using current data, is responsible for how best to divide the state’s judicial system to make sure resources and personnel are properly allocated.
MORE: Opinion – Augusta Judicial Circuit Should Not be Split
The lawsuit also alleges the decision to split Columbia County from the AJC would create a majority white judicial circuit, which disenfranchises African-American voters. The lawsuit says that violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
A copy of the lawsuit can be found here.
The lawsuit says last year’s election of Jared Williams, an African-American attorney, to replace Natalie Paine as the circuit’s district attorney is the motivation for Senate Bill 9, introduced in the legislature by State Senator Lee Anderson.
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A third argument says the split does not include plans to protect the rights of citizens in all three counties.
For example, each circuit is required to have a Public Defenders Office for people who cannot afford an attorney. The legislation does not ensure there will be such an office in the new district.
The lawsuit alleges the legislation violates the Separation of Powers Doctrine in the Georgia Constitution.
Saunders, a Columbia County attorney who served more than seven years as an assistant district attorney in the Augusta Judicial Circuit, asks the court to issue a temporary restraining order, delaying the split until the lawsuit is resolved.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com.
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