Anybody here with insider knowledge from the capital have any comments? Anyone else in general?
"Just as Ralston has done for other clients charged with violent or heinous crimes, he used his elected position to delay hearings and court dates, preventing the case from moving forward in the Gilmer County justice system."
Somebody should file an ethics complaint on him with the State Bar.
It seems his life circumstances do not allow him to devote enough time to his law practice. Yet he continues to solicit and accept clients, just to sit on their cases for decades.
Although these clients may like the endless delays, lawyers also have a duty of professionalism to the party opponents and to the court system itself. That's where I think Ralston may be failing, even if none of his clients are unhappy about it. The other side should be pissed off, and the community should be, and the judges should be PO'd too.
Erick Erickson on his WSB radio show has been riding this hobby horse for a couple days now, and he is encouraging listeners to contact their reps to get them to dethrone Ralston.
Do you really think that Ralston is the only practicing attorney/legislator doing this? Do you really think there hasn't been Democrats who have filed the same for the same continuance for the same reasons for the 140 years or so that they controlled the Legislature? It was never news worthy until the speaker rod the house did it, a man with no shorthand of far righ wing enemies. Do you really think this is about justice or professionalism?
Do you really think that Ralston is the only practicing attorney/legislator doing this? Do you really think there hasn't been Democrats who have filed the same for the same continuance for the same reasons for the 140 years or so that they controlled the Legislature?
Tom Murphy was an attorney and speaker of the house for 29 years. He was also a Democrat. I'm sure he did the same thing and I know of no time that it ever became a political hot potato. Something else is at play here, somebody wants Ralston out of the way.
According to the AJC article posted today, "For a century, elected lawmakers who make their living as attorneys could only cite the law to delay court while the General Assembly was in session and for three weeks after. But in 2006, lawmakers in the House and Senate passed Senate Bill 503, which expanded the privilege to cover any time a lawmaker's "presence elsewhere is required."
Tom Murphy was an attorney and speaker of the house for 29 years. He was also a Democrat. I'm sure he did the same thing and I know of no time that it ever became a political hot potato. Something else is at play here, somebody wants Ralston out of the way.
Morally and ethically wrong but 100% legal, just like other things such as abortion. Would I do it? No, but if others can live with their conscience, it's on them. If we don't like it so much, change the law. I agree, it sounds like there's a deeper rooted cause.
I don't know if it's "legal" when the Georgia Supreme Court has promulgated rules of ethics and professionalism that are binding on licensed attorneys in this state, and which call for various penalties for the violation of those rules.
Although, unless THE CLIENT is harmed by the unethical / unprofessional behavior, the penalties are usually smaller, starting with merely a reprimand.
Certainly it's not a crime. No violation of any criminal law found in O.C.G.A. Title 16 for an attorney to sit on a case for many years, frustrating the victim's chance to have a trial and get justice in the court system.
And as STARJACK said above, two wrongs don't make a right. Just because Democrats are unethical scum who have no respect for the rules of society and freely disobey or disregard them when they feel like it, that doesn't mean I'll give Republicans a free pass to do the same when they're in power.
You have to listen to he story at the link as it's not in print. Basically, Speaker Ralston is calling for examining the rule and seeing what changes need to be made.
This. I absolutely despise people that take advantage of the opportunities afforded them by the law, which pretty much includes all of you.
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