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Ken Hodges was only 30 years old when voters elected him District Attorney of the Dougherty Judicial Circuit in 1996. He entered office facing a backlog of eight death penalty cases. Within his first two years, those cases were moved forward and taken to trial. Hodges also reorganized the office around trial teams to reduce unnecessary delays and developed programs aimed at protecting children and crime victims. Those efforts included a child prosecution unit, child advocacy center, truancy program and sexual assault unit. This clip from Episode 54 of See You In Court provides another piece of the larger story behind Judge Hodges’ career, from prosecutor and district attorney to private practice, State Bar leadership and eventually the Georgia Court of Appeals. Listen to the full episode: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/ Watch: https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

What happens when a seat belt fails to protect someone in a crash, a workplace machine has a dangerous design, or a trucking accident investigation reaches the wrong conclusion? Behind these situations are real people, complicated legal questions, and investigations that can uncover surprising truths. In Episode 56 of See You In Court, hosts Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate welcome Tedra Cannella and Rob Snyder, founding partners of Cannella Snyder LLC, for an engaging conversation about product liability, consumer safety, corporate accountability, and the pursuit of justice through Georgia's civil courts. Drawing on years of experience handling complex product liability, wrongful death, personal injury, and whistleblower cases, Tedra and Rob share remarkable stories that reveal what happens behind the scenes of major civil litigation. Inside This Episode A $127 million verdict: The story of Andrews v. Autoliv, involving a seat belt design that raised serious safety questions and a lengthy legal battle. A $56.5 million wrongful death verdict: Why a family pursued judicial recognition of their daughter's death even when recovering the full judgment was unlikely. The trucking crash investigation: How expert analysis, dashcam footage, and overlooked evidence challenged the original findings in a fatal accident. When products become dangerous: Understanding design defects, manufacturing defects, inadequate warnings, and Georgia's 10-year statute of repose. Workplace injuries: Why defective machinery can sometimes create legal claims beyond workers' compensation. Whistleblowers and corporate accountability: How the False Claims Act helps uncover fraud against the government and why courtroom ethics matter. The discussion also reveals unexpected moments from the courtroom, including disputed evidence, sanctions against defense attorneys, and an extraordinary hotel controversy during a federal trial. But beyond the cases and verdicts, this episode asks a more fundamental question: What does justice really mean? For Tedra and Rob, the answer involves both the fairness of the legal process and the opportunity to achieve an outcome that recognizes the harm people have experienced. Whether you're interested in Georgia law, consumer protection, or the stories behind major civil cases, this conversation offers a compelling look at the legal system and the people it serves. About Our Guests Tedra Cannella and Rob Snyder are founding partners of Cannella Snyder LLC, a Georgia law firm representing individuals and families in complex civil litigation. Learn more: https://cannellasnyder.com/ Watch the Full Episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/FDP8dvbJQIk About See You In Court See You In Court is hosted by Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate, both past presidents of the State Bar of Georgia. The podcast is sponsored by the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping Georgians understand their civil justice system, individual rights, and the importance of an independent judiciary. Podcast website: https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/ Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@seeyouincourtpodcast?sub_confirmation=1 Georgia Civil Justice Foundation: https://fairplay.org/ Disclaimer Please note: The information provided in this podcast and its related content is intended solely for educational and informational purposes as a public service by the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation. Legal issues can be complex and individualized. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction who can provide legal guidance that suits your particular situation.

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges spends most of his judicial work reviewing what happened in trial courts. But for a brief period, he got to go back. In this See You In Court clip, Judge Hodges explains how he volunteered to help a Fulton County Superior Court judge dealing with a significant backlog. His first stint resulted largely in pleas, even in murder cases that initially appeared likely to go to trial. When he returned a second time, an aggravated assault case did go before a jury, allowing Hodges to preside as a trial judge. The experience highlights one of the interesting contrasts in his career. Appellate judging requires extensive reading, record review and analysis. Trial court requires decisions in real time and constant interaction with lawyers, witnesses and the proceedings unfolding in front of you. Judge Hodges makes no secret of which experience felt more lively. Listen to the full Episode 54 conversation: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/ Watch: https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges says one of the toughest parts of his job is the sheer volume of cases the court must decide. That makes a potential change in Georgia’s appellate system especially significant. In this clip, Judge Hodges discusses the possibility that many murder appeals currently handled by the Georgia Supreme Court could eventually move to the Court of Appeals. His concern is what happens if a substantial new caseload arrives without additional judges, staff attorneys or other resources. In the full Episode 54 conversation, Hodges explains why that could affect not only the new cases, but also oral arguments, discretionary applications and the amount of time available to carefully consider every case already before the court. The jurisdiction change has not occurred, but the debate provides a revealing look at the workload and resource challenges behind Georgia’s appellate justice system. Listen to the full episode: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

When Ken Hodges became District Attorney of the Dougherty Judicial Circuit, he inherited a backlog of eight death penalty cases. Judge Hodges says the mishandling of one of those cases helped motivate him to run for district attorney, and working through that backlog became an important part of his early years in office. Yet when asked which prosecution stands out most, he points to State of Georgia v. Sidney Dorsey. The murder and racketeering prosecution of the former DeKalb County sheriff was moved from metro Atlanta to Albany, where Hodges worked alongside District Attorney J. Tom Morgan during jury selection, opening statements, witness examinations and trial strategy. This clip begins that remarkable chapter of Judge Hodges’ career. The story will continue when J. Tom Morgan joins See You In Court in an upcoming episode. Listen to the full Judge Hodges episode: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

Before Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown ever took office, questions were already being raised about what was happening inside the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. Former District Attorney J. Tom Morgan explains that allegations involving deputies, bonding companies and bribery were pointing toward a grand jury investigation. Morgan had dinner with Brown just two weeks before his murder, and they discussed Brown opening the sheriff’s files after taking office. Hear the complete story in this compelling conversation with J. Tom Morgan about the prosecution that became the basis for his book, A Rainy Night in Georgia. Full episode: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-j-tom-morgan/ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8

Former DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan says many of his students increasingly believe that people with enough money, power, or connections don't always face the same rules as everyone else. The observation comes during a larger See You In Court discussion about the rule of law and connects directly to the story behind Morgan’s book, A Rainy Night in Georgia, which recounts the murder of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown and a prosecution centered on corruption and unchecked power. Watch the full rule-of-law discussion beginning at 50:44: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8?t=3044 Watch the complete episode: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8 Listen to the complete episode on Podbean: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-j-tom-morgan/ Learn about A Rainy Night in Georgia: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Rainy-Night-in-Georgia/J-Tom-Morgan/9781493094844

Are Americans becoming increasingly accepting of corruption in government? Former DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan reflects on what he sees among his students and asks whether repeated examples of corruption have made society less sensitive to abuses of public power. It’s a larger question about accountability, public trust and the importance of checks and balances in our system of government. Hear more from J. Tom Morgan in the complete episode of See You In Court. 🎧 Full episode on Podbean: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-j-tom-morgan/ ▶️ Continue this specific discussion on power and accountability at 45:26: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8?t=2726 📖 Learn more about J. Tom Morgan and A Rainy Night in Georgia: https://jtommorganlaw.com/

Former DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan received an extraordinary warning from another attorney: his life was in danger. Morgan was told he needed round-the-clock protection, firearms, and a bulletproof vest. He understood that the attorney knew something serious but could not reveal more. Later, while interviewing one of the men involved in the conspiracy surrounding the murder of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown, Morgan discovered exactly why someone had been looking for his home address. The answer was chilling: “I was going to kill you next.” Hear the complete conversation with J. Tom Morgan and the remarkable story behind the prosecution of former DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney Dorsey. 🎧 Full episode on Podbean: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-j-tom-morgan/ ▶️ Want to continue exactly where this clip ends? Watch from 25:58 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8?t=1558 J. Tom Morgan’s book, A Rainy Night in Georgia: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Rainy-Night-in-Georgia/J-Tom-Morgan/9781493094844 Learn more: https://jtommorganlaw.com/ See You In Court is sponsored by the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation.

While investigating the assassination of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown, then-DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan uncovered another disturbing part of the conspiracy. The people responsible for Brown’s murder had another target. Morgan himself. Robin Frazer Clark reads the chilling passage from Morgan’s book, A Rainy Night in Georgia, in this excerpt from See You In Court. The story continues with Morgan explaining how he first learned his life might be in danger and what one of the men involved later told him directly. ▶️ Continue the conversation at 24:22 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8?t=1462 🎥 Watch the complete episode: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8 🎧 Full episode on Podbean: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-j-tom-morgan/ 📖 A Rainy Night in Georgia https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Rainy-Night-in-Georgia/J-Tom-Morgan/9781493094844

What does justice under the rule of law really require? Former DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan shares a definition from one of his students that made such an impression on him that he saved it: “Justice means everyone is treated fairly and equally under the rule of law.” The student added that it should not matter whether someone is an ordinary citizen or the president. Everyone should know the rules, and those rules should apply equally. In this clip from See You In Court, Morgan discusses constitutional protections, the rule of law, and why equal treatment remains central to the idea of justice. Watch the complete Episode 55 conversation: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8 Listen to the full episode on Podbean: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-j-tom-morgan/ Learn more about J. Tom Morgan: https://jtommorganlaw.com/ Learn more about his new book, A Rainy Night in Georgia: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Rainy-Night-in-Georgia/J-Tom-Morgan/9781493094844 See You In Court: https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

Sometimes a courtroom becomes part of the story itself. J. Tom Morgan recalls the remarkable circumstances surrounding the Sidney Dorsey trial. After the case was unexpectedly moved to Dougherty County, the guilty verdict came back in the very courtroom where Morgan had been sworn in as a lawyer years earlier. That same courtroom also carried another significant piece of history, one that Morgan referenced in his closing argument. In this clip from See You In Court, Morgan reflects on the unlikely and deeply personal conclusion to one of the most important cases of his career. Watch the full conversation with J. Tom Morgan: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8 Listen to the complete episode: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-j-tom-morgan/

Former DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan spent years carrying the story of one of the most extraordinary cases of his career. After the prosecution of former DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney Dorsey for the murder of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown, Morgan kept the transcripts, notes and files from the case. Eventually, he packed everything into a box and put it away. Then COVID changed his routine. Living alone in the North Carolina mountains, Morgan found himself with time to revisit the story. He began writing by hand, page after page, and months later had a manuscript of more than 250 typed pages. That manuscript eventually became A Rainy Night in Georgia: A Lawman’s Brutal Murder, a Rogue Southern Sheriff, and a Prosecutor’s Quest for Justice. In this clip from See You In Court, Morgan explains what finally pushed him to put the story on paper. Watch the complete episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8 Listen to the full episode on Podbean: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-j-tom-morgan/

Former DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan reflects on one of the central themes of the Sidney Dorsey prosecution: the danger of unchecked power. Morgan explains why the prosecution focused on power, corruption, and the importance of checks and balances, themes that also run throughout his new book, A Rainy Night in Georgia. Listen to the full conversation with J. Tom Morgan: https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-j-tom-morgan/ Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0B9xWq_t6K8

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/