Exploring the Foundation of Georgia’s Trial Courts: Insights from Judge Mike Jacobs
Today on the podcast, Robin and Lester interview Dekalb County State Court Judge Mike Jacobs.
Guest Bio
Judge Mike Jacobs has served on the State Court of DeKalb County since June 2015. Mike is the first openly LGBTQ+ countywide elected official in DeKalb County history and the county’s first openly LGBTQ+ trial judge.
Mike serves on the board of directors of Leadership DeKalb, chairs Government Day for the program, and is a member of the Class of 2016, the best class ever. He also serves on the board of directors of the Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia and as secretary and a board member of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges.
Prior to his judicial service, Mike served ten and a half years in the Georgia House of Representatives, representing the DeKalb communities of Brookhaven, Chamblee, and Toco Hills. He was chairman of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Oversight Committee (MARTOC), the joint House and Senate committee that oversees MARTA’s management, budget, and fiscal affairs. He also served as chairman of one of the two subcommittees of the House Judiciary Committee. In 2010, Mike received the Allen Thornell Political Advancement Award from Georgia Equality for authoring and passing a stronger anti-bullying law for public schools.
In 2012, Mike served on the Special Joint Committee on Criminal Justice Reform, which vetted major reforms that place greater emphasis on rehabilitating non-violent offenders to lead productive lives.
In 2014, Interim CEO Lee May appointed Mike to the DeKalb Operations Task Force (OTF). The OTF recommended county government reforms that the General Assembly enacted to help our county function better, including DeKalb’s SPLOST, which Mike authored and passed in 2015.
In 2019, Mike was recognized by the Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia at its annual awards gala with the award for Outstanding Service to the Stonewall Community.
Before joining the bench, Mike was a solo practitioner for four years, focusing his practice on consumer bankruptcy and debtor-creditor litigation. Mike received his law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2003. While at UGA Law, he served as Executive Articles Editor of the Georgia Law Review. In 1997, Mike received his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Mike is the proud parent of three children, Jonah, Eli, and Samantha.
Links:
https://www.gatriallawyers.net/
See You In Court (seeyouincourtpodcast.org)
To learn more about the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation, visit fairplay.org
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See You in Court is Georgia’s leading law podcast series, empowering citizens and providing them with the information they need about the state’s civil justice system. As part of the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation (a nonpartisan resource for anyone seeking to understand, preserve, or restore the basic functions of civil justice) we’re committed to educating the public about all of the ways they can fight for their rights and bring their grievances in front of an independent, non-biased court.
The best aspect of our podcast is that it’s free and accessible anytime and anywhere. It’s our goal to educate and empower Georgia residents so they understand their rights, and when they need to take further legal action.
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