Limits & Logistics
Courtesy Copies
Filings > 3 pages
Hearing Request Form
- 1 copy
Communication
Chambers
Phone
Court-widePhone
Court-wideFax
Court-wideDocument Format Requirements1 rule
At any time for a negotiated plea, including a requested Plea Hearing or the Pretrial Hearing, all plea paperwork must be typed, printed, and signed prior to the call of the docket.
Document Filing Requirements4 rules
For cases with charges that are considered serious violent felonies under O.C.G.A. § 17-10-6.1(a), the waiver of arraignment must be signed personally by the Defendant.
A written waiver of arraignment must elect Plea Track, Motion Hearing required, or Trial Track.
Court's wording
Such written waiver must (1) be filed of record at least 30 days in advance of any scheduled arraignment hearing; (2) served upon the Court's Criminal Case Manager; and (3) elect Plea Track, Motion Hearing required, or Trial Track.
In order for a case to be set on a plea docket, counsel must request an in-person or video plea hearing and present completed plea paperwork signed by the prosecutor and defense attorney to the Criminal Case Manager at least ten (10) business days in advance.
At any time for a negotiated plea, including a requested Plea Hearing or the Pretrial Hearing, all plea paperwork must be typed, printed, and signed prior to the call of the docket.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
The completed hearing request form must be filed electronically.
Upon completion: 1) E-file the completed form
Civil cases
Page 1 | Filing and Service Instructions
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
All requests under this order must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance; the text does not specify the event from which that period is measured.
In accordance with Uniform Superior Court Rule 22, all requests shall be submitted no less than twenty-four (24) hours in advance.
Page 1 | Standing Orders
A written waiver of arraignment must be filed of record at least 30 days before the scheduled arraignment hearing.
Such written waiver must (1) be filed of record at least 30 days in advance of any scheduled arraignment hearing;
Page 1 | STEP 2
Defendant shall elect whether to participate in reciprocal discovery as set forth in O.C.G.A. § 17-6-1 et seq. by the date of the arraignment.
Defendant shall elect whether to participate in reciprocal discovery as set forth in O.C.G.A. § 17-6-1 et seq. by the date of the arraignment.
Page 1 | STEP 2
Counsel must present the required plea paperwork to the Criminal Case Manager at least 10 business days in advance for a case to be set on a plea docket.
In order for a case to be set on a plea docket, counsel must request an in-person or video plea hearing and present completed plea paperwork signed by the prosecutor and defense attorney to the Criminal Case Manager at least ten (10) business days in advance.
Page 1 | STEP 3
Discovery disclosures by the Defendant shall be due to the State within twenty (20) calendar days of the date the State's Full
Discovery disclosures by the Defendant shall be due to the State within twenty (20) calendar days of the date the State's Full
Page 2 | B. FULL DISCOVERY
When the Defendant has elected to participate in reciprocal discovery, the State's Initial Discovery disclosures are due within 30 calendar days after the election is filed.
Initial Discovery disclosures by the State shall be due to the defendant no later than thirty (30) calendar days after the date of the filing of defendant's election under O.C.G.A. § 17-16-1 et seq.
Page 2 | A. INITIAL DISCOVERY
Plea paperwork for a negotiated plea must be ready before the docket is called.
At any time for a negotiated plea, including a requested Plea Hearing or the Pretrial Hearing, all plea paperwork must be typed, printed, and signed prior to the call of the docket.
Page 2 | STEP 6
Full Discovery disclosures by the State shall be due to the Defendant on or before the date of arraignment,
Full Discovery disclosures by the State shall be due to the Defendant on or before the date of arraignment,
Page 2 | B. FULL DISCOVERY
If the Defendant waives arraignment, the State's Full Discovery disclosures are due within 10 calendar days after the waiver is filed.
if the Defendant has waived arraignment, no later than ten (10) calendar days after the date of the filing of defendant's waiver of arraignment.
Page 2 | B. FULL DISCOVERY
Motions for Additional Peremptory Challenges must be filed before the Pretrial Hearing date.
Motions for Additional Peremptory Challenges shall be filed prior to the date of the Pretrial Hearing.
Page 3 | D. MOTIONS
Motions in limine must be filed at least five business days before trial.
Motions in limine shall be filed no later than five (5) business days prior to trial.
Page 3 | D. MOTIONS
Special pleas, pleas-in-bar, demurrers, and similar motions must be filed within ten days after arraignment or, if waived, within ten days after filing the waiver.
All special pleas, pleas-in-bar, demurrers, and similar motions shall be filed no later than ten (10) days after the date of arraignment (or, if arraignment is waived, ten (10) days after the filing of the Waiver of Arraignment).
Page 3 | D. MOTIONS
Responses to those motions are due within fifteen days after the original motion is filed.
with responses to any such motions due within fifteen (15) days after the filing of the original motion.
Page 3 | D. MOTIONS
The State and Defendant must supplement discovery at least ten days before trial.
Both the State and the Defendant shall have the right to supplement discovery and shall do so at least ten (10) days prior to the trial.
Page 3 | C. SUPPLEMENTAL DISCOVERY
All other motions (including, but not limited to, motions to suppress, "Daubert" motions under O.C.G.A. § 24-7-702), except for motions in limine, shall be filed no later than thirty (30) days after arraignment (or, if arraignment is waived, thirty (30) days after the filing of the Waiver of Arraignment)
All other motions (including, but not limited to, motions to suppress, "Daubert" motions under O.C.G.A. § 24-7-702), except for motions in limine, shall be filed no later than thirty (30) days after arraignment (or, if arraignment is waived, thirty (30) days after the filing of the Waiver of Arraignment)
Page 3 | D. MOTIONS
A previously entered order requiring earlier discovery exchange controls over the foregoing schedule.
The foregoing shall not apply in the event that an order previously entered in any case provides for the exchange of discovery any earlier than would be required under the foregoing.
Page 3 | D. MOTIONS
This schedule controls over contemporaneous or later scheduling orders unless a deviation is specifically contemplated, while non-discovery provisions of scheduling orders remain in effect.
The foregoing schedule shall control over any the terms of any scheduling order filed contemporaneously with, or after this Standing Order, unless a deviation from this Standing Order is specifically contemplated. Non-discovery provisions of any scheduling order in any case shall remain in full force and effect.
Page 3 | D. MOTIONS
Service and Proof of Service Rules
When e-filing a motion or response, the filer must email the opposing parties no later than 24 hours after filing.
Pursuant to Uniform Superior Court Rule 6.1 when utilizing the e-filing system, the attorney or party shall notify the opposing parties and the assigned Judge, including their staff, by e-mail of the motion or response no later than 24-hours after e-filing.
Page 1 | Judge Lisa Goldwire Colbert
A written waiver of arraignment must be served upon the Court's Criminal Case Manager.
Such written waiver must (1) be filed of record at least 30 days in advance of any scheduled arraignment hearing; (2) served upon the Court's Criminal Case Manager; and (3) elect Plea Track, Motion Hearing required, or Trial Track.
Page 1 | STEP 2
A copy of the completed form must be served on the opposing party.
serve opposing party with a copy
Civil cases
Page 1 | Filing and Service Instructions
Bodycam, surveillance, and similar video files are excluded from Initial Discovery, but the State should produce them promptly to the Defendant.
Initial Discovery does not include bodycam, surveillance, or similar video files, but the State should produce those files to the Defendant promptly.
Page 2 | A. INITIAL DISCOVERY
The parties should subpoena their witnesses to be available throughout the trial period and the following week in case trial runs longer than one week.
Parties should subpoena their witness to be available for the entire trial period and the following week in the event the trial runs longer than one week.
Page 2 | STEP 7
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Attorneys must provide the assigned Judge's staff a hard copy of a motion or response when seeking a ruling or hearing date and the document, including exhibits, exceeds three pages.
In lieu of providing a hard copy of motions and responses to the clerk's office as outlined in USCR 6.1, attorneys practicing in the Eastern Judicial Circuit shall provide a hard copy of their motions and responses directly to the assigned Judge's staff, specifically where a ruling or hearing date is being sought and the document is greater than three pages in length, including exhibits.
Page 1 | Judge Lisa Goldwire Colbert
A filed copy of the form must be provided directly to Judge Colbert’s office, separately from e-file courtesy copies.
Provide a filed copy of the form to Judge Colbert’s office directly and independently of e-file courtesy copies.
Civil cases
Page 1 | Filing and Service Instructions
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
The Court may grant extensions for good cause shown.
Extensions may be granted for good cause shown.
Page 3 | D. MOTIONS
Chambers Communication Rules
When e-filing a motion or response, the filer must email the assigned Judge and staff no later than 24 hours after filing.
Pursuant to Uniform Superior Court Rule 6.1 when utilizing the e-filing system, the attorney or party shall notify the opposing parties and the assigned Judge, including their staff, by e-mail of the motion or response no later than 24-hours after e-filing.
Page 1 | Judge Lisa Goldwire Colbert
Attorneys must notify the Judge and staff immediately when a civil action settles or is dismissed.
Additionally, pursuant to Uniform Superior Court Rule 4.10, all attorneys practicing in the Eastern Judicial Circuit shall notify the Judge and their staff immediately upon the settlement or dismissal of any civil actions.
Page 1 | Judge Lisa Goldwire Colbert
Questions about criminal case scheduling should be directed to the Judge's Criminal Case Manager.
If you have a question about criminal case scheduling, please contact the Criminal Case Manager for the Judge.
Page 1 | Judiciary Documents
Attorneys should check their notice cards carefully and contact the assigned Judge's staff if anything is unclear.
All attorneys should check their notice cards carefully, and if there is any confusion please contact the assigned Judge's staff.
Page 1 | Judge Lisa Goldwire Colbert
Counsel requesting the presence of a detained Defendant at the Trial Docket Call must make the request to the Court's Criminal Case Manager by 12:00 P.M. EST on the preceding business day.
Defendants in pretrial detention will not be transported for the Trial Docket Call unless counsel requests their presence, with requests being made to the Court's Criminal Case manager by 12:00 P.M. EST the preceding business day.
Page 2 | STEP 5
A copy of the filed form may be emailed to the listed address with the specified subject line.
You may email a copy of your filed form to mbaker@chathamcounty.org with the subject line HEARING REQUEST FORM.
Civil cases
Page 1 | Filing and Service Instructions