Superior Court Programs
Circuit Defender's Office
MISSION:
- To maintain an indigent defense program as required by state law, and as specified by
the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council for those persons who are not able to afford
legal representation in criminal cases in Cobb County.
- To determine eligibility of those individuals requesting a court appointed attorney with
the use of an application which includes a financial statement of the defendant.
Appointing attorneys to those individuals that qualify as set forth in the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council's guidelines.
- Maintain a list of qualified attorneys to serve on the panel.
- Provide support services to the various courts and panel attorneys involved in
appointed criminal cases.
For further information, please call (770) 528-1950.
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Child Support Receivers Office
Child Support Receiver
Cheryl Britton - 770-528-3399
Asst. Child Support Receiver
Jennifer Zieminick - 770-528-3056
The goal of this office is to receive and distribute child support monies as ordered by the Superior Court Judges. We also serve as record keeper providing payment information when needed by the court. Also, we handle payments made under Protective Orders in an attempt to take away as much contact between the parties as possible.
Our mission is serve as a third party to the case by receiving and distributing the payments giving the parents a less stressful environment and more time to concentrate on the welfare of the child.
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What About Me?
“What About Me?” (W.A.M.) is a program designed for children of divorcing parents. This VOLUNTARY class addresses various
issues facing children during this difficult time. For ages 5-12, this course helps teach children how to cope with the changes
and how to communicate better with their parents. The class is broken down into two age groups (5-8 year olds and 9-12 year olds)
so that discussion may be age appropriate. The same facilitators as the “Seminar for Divorcing Parents” teach this course and
many parents who have taken the parent seminar feel that W.A.M. is a good companion class for their children.
- W.A.M. is a voluntary, one-time class which is typically offered the fourth Monday of every other month from 6:15pm - 8:15pm.
- In order to secure a place, all children must be pre-registered (permission form and payment)
- If Court action is still pending, permission is required from BOTH parents. If Court action is finalized, only the primary custodial parent’s permission is necessary for enrollment.
- During the seminar, one parent must remain on premises.
- The class costs $10 per pre-registered participant and an additional child from the same family is an additional $5.
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Download Application
Print and fax (with credit card) this application to 770-528-8142 or mail it with payment:
Superior Court ADR Office (Attn: W.A.M.)
30 Waddell St.
Marietta, GA 30090-9642
For class schedule or if you have any questions please call 770-528-1812.
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Juror Donation Program
As a juror in Cobb County Superior Court, you have the unique opportunity to give even more back to your community through our Juror Fee Donation Program. By checking the appropriate box on the form you will be given, you can donate the fee you would normally receive for your jury service ($25.00 a day) to one of the designated areas within the county.
The money would go to capital improvement projects & operating purposes only. You will receive a certificate showing the amount you donated and to which area. Your donation is tax deductible.
One choice only can be made. Your choices will be: Cobb County Animal Shelter, Cobb Trees Program, Focus on Forever: A Marital Seminar, Cobb Parks & Recreation, Cobb Public Library System & Cobb Senior Services.
The donation program is totally optional.
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Guardian Ad Litem
What is a Guardian Ad Litem?
The Guardian Ad Litem is a trained professional appointed by the court to represent the best interests of minor children in disputed custody cases. These Guardians investigate the various aspects of the case by interviewing the children, the parents, and others who may have an interest in the resolution of the custody dispute. As a result of the investigation, the Guardian makes a recommendation to the court as to who should be granted primary custody and what degree of visitation by the non-custodial party would be appropriate. Because of the highly sensitive and emotional nature of the placement of minor children, the Superior Court Judges Council created strict requirements for certification of Guardians Ad Litem.
What are the Qualifications to Become a Guardian?
In order to be certified as a Guardian Ad Litem, individuals must:
- Be a member in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia
- Have practiced law for a minimum of five years.
- Have handled or observed six custody matters from start to finish.
- Have attended the Guardian Ad Litem Seminar sponsored by the Cobb County Superior Court.
- Have attended the Cobb County Seminar for Divorcing Parents (click here for more information)
- Either belong to Family Law Section of the State Bar or have attended a minimum of three hours Continuing Legal Education each year in a topic related to Family Law as determined by the Cobb County Guardian Ad Litem Program.
- Agree to submit to a personal background check through the completion of a NCIC form.
- Review the Guardian Ad Litem handbook and submit a signed verification form
Upon completion of these requirements, the attorney’s name is added to a list of certified Guardians that is supplied to the judges and counsel upon request.
How are Guardians Appointed?
Guardians Ad Litem are appointed one of three ways: the Judge may appoint a Guardian, the attorneys can agree upon a Guardian or the Guardian Ad Litem office may appoint a Guardian from a list of certified Guardians. Once a Guardian Ad Litem is appointed to a case the appropriate orders are filed and copies are sent to the counsel for each party or to the individual party if he is not represented.
For additional information please contact the ADR office at (770) 528-1812.
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Interpreter Program
In order to ensure that every person is treated equally under the law, it is sometimes necessary to enlist the services of foreign language interpreters. The Superior Court Interpreters Program provides interpreters to protect the rights of non-English speaking people involved as parties or witnesses in legal proceedings in the Court. Interpreters must maintain impartiality, confidentially, accuracy and a professional demeanor. While Spanish is the most requested language, requests for interpreters can range anywhere from Vietnamese to Ukrainian.
With Atlanta's increasingly diverse population, the need for interpreters has grown dramatically. When the program began in 1990 we had 36 requests for interpreters. By 2005, the number of requests for interpreters increased to 2,114 for the year. Having this program within the court system saves the county money by allowing the court to bypass private interpreting agencies.
The Superior Court Interpreters Program maintains a list of approved court interpreters that must be either Registered or Certified with the Georgia Commission on Interpreters. For information on how to become a Registered or Certified Court Interpreter please go to http://www.georgiacourts.org/agencies/Interpreters/index.html
Download Interpreter Application
For more information on becoming a court interpreter, please
contact Lisa Chao at
(770) 528- 1820.
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Permanent Process Servers
A process server must have an order from the court each time he or she is to serve papers. Beginning in 1998, Cobb County Superior Court judges elected to start a program enabling process servers to receive a standing order for a whole year instead of requiring a new order each time. To become a permanent process server in Cobb County a person must full out an application and have it endorsed by a Cobb attorney. After a criminal background check is done, he or she may be awarded permanent status and be allowed to serve any papers dealing with a Superior Court case for one year.
Download Permanent Process Server Application,
Renewal Application and
Permanent Process Server List.
For additional information please contact
Kimberley Hicks at (770) 528-1811.
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Special Master Program
Special Masters are attorneys who are responsible for administering the condemnation laws of Georgia. The special master sits as a judge over a land condemnation case. A Superior Court judge then approves his or her decision. Pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, in order to qualify to be a special master an attorney must be a competent attorney at law, be of good standing in the profession, and have at least three years of experience in the practice of law.
When requests come in for special masters the party is given several names and phone numbers in sequence from our list. The party has the option have the option of declining an attorney if there appears to be a conflict of interest. Once a special master has agreed to serve, the case information is sent to us for statistical tracking.
If you would like to participate in the Special Master Program or to request a Special Master, please contact Kim Hicks at (770) 528-1811 or Lisa Chao at (770) 528-1820.
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Volunteer Probation Program
The Cobb County Volunteer Probation Officer Program is an organization under the
supervision of the Superior Court of Cobb County. The purpose of the Volunteer
Probation Officer Program is to allow citizens to aid the criminal justice system while
investing in the lives of those on probation. The program began in 1973 and has grown
exponentially. There are presently 50 volunteers who work with over 800 probationers at nine different satellite locations throughout the county. The volunteers give over 10,000 hours of their time per year resulting in a significant cost savings to the county.
Anyone interested in becoming a Volunteer Probation Officer must meet the following
criteria:
- Have never been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony
- Must be at least 21 years of age
- Must be a high school graduate
- Must be willing to commit to at least one year of service
- Must commit to two hours per week
- Must complete a 12 hour training class as well as extensive hands-on training
For more information, please contact Gary Struletz, Director, Cobb Volunteer
Probation Officer Program at (770) 528-7986.
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