1. What do you believe are the underlying factors/issues resulting in the observations recorded by our court case team?

Answer:

During the COVID 19 pandemic, a number of people acquired pets. Many were just like my family-first time dog owners. Our dog Blue is a key part of our family. As the fears around COVID softened, many people did not see the need for dogs and either stopped caring for them, let them go, or sent them to a shelter. Simultaneously, the DeKalb Courts experienced one of, if not the greatest, case backlog in recent history.  As the court emerged from COVID protocols, the main courthouse flooded and court was again delayed, setting cases back even further.  As the pandemic receded and the courthouse reopened, judges have juggled which cases to prioritize as civil and criminal cases, including those related to pets, were and are all backlogged.

2. What tools do judges have to address the kinds of issues observed by our court case team?

Answer:
A judge is responsible for their calendar. They can have certain days set aside to handle cases that have been indicted/processed by the Solicitor General's office.  The best tool I can use is to set aside specific time periods, be they times of day (e.g. afternoon) or specific days (e.g. every 2nd Tuesday) or a combination of the two (e.g. every 2nd Tuesday afternoon) to hear animal related cases. Additionally, we can work together, outside of trials, with the parties to resolve cases. Through each of these tools, we can resolve more cases and can do so faster. It is my hope that we will be able to save more pets. One other tool I will have at my disposal as a judge is the ability to educate the community on the law. I am willing to work with animal groups to provide a type of law clinic for the public, be it online and/or in person, so people can understand the law and their responsibilities as pet owners.