Georgia law

Superior Court Clerk Kelli Paradise Smith (center) works with bailiffs Mike Haler, Olin “Smiley” Taylor, Joe Williams and Dave Williams in the Oglethorpe County Courthouse in Lexington. About 150 people can be summoned for a criminal trial in the county. (Katherine Davis/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Superior Court Clerk Kelli Paradise Smith (center) works with bailiffs Mike Haler, Olin “Smiley” Taylor, Joe Williams and Dave Williams in the Oglethorpe County Courthouse in Lexington. About 150 people can be summoned for a criminal trial in the county. (Katherine Davis/The Oglethorpe Echo)

An inside look to navigating the courthouse

Gabrielle Gruszynski and Katherine Davis
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
On any given weekday, the Oglethorpe County Courthouse hums with steady activity — civil filings, property records and jury selections all pass through its doors. From marriage licenses to mortgages, most residents will interact with the local court system at some point.
The exterior of the Oglethorpe County Court House located on Lexington's Main Street. (Photo/Emily Garcia)

The exterior of the Oglethorpe County Court House located on Lexington's Main Street. (Photo/Emily Garcia)

Courts chip away at case backlog

Emily Garcia
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Judge Jeffery S. Malcom likened the backlog of court cases in the Northern Judicial Circuit to an elephant that he and his fellow judges plan to eat one bite at a time.