31st Annual Georgia Bar Media & Judiciary Conference
| Publication year | 2022 |
| Pages | 0026 |
31st Annual Georgia Bar Media & Judiciary Conference
The 31st anniversary of the Bar Media & Judiciary Conference, held virtually over three days in February, brought together judges, lawyers, and print and television journalists to explore current issues.
BY ASHLEY G. STOLLAR
For the second year in a row, the Georgia Bar, Media & Judiciary Conference, which brings together judges, journalists and attorneys to delve into current and timely issues regarding the law and the First Amendment, was held virtually. Normally a one-day affair, the 31st annual conference was spread over three days, Feb. 23-25, offering a variety of panels focused on the Arbery case, public education, Georgia elections, libel law, and navigating social media. Each day, the
Participants on "The Arbery Case: Lessons for Lawyers, Judges and the Media" panel included (top row, left to right) Hyde Post, Hyde Post Communications; Margaret Coker, The Current, Savannah; (bottom row, left to right) Hon. Lisa Colbert, Superior Court judge, Eastern Judicial Circuit; Linda Dunikoski, senior assistant district attorney, Cobb Judicial Circuit; and Robert Rubin, Peters Rubin Sheffield & Hodges, PA.
participants were sent links to view individual panels from the comfort of their home or office.
The Arbery Case: Lessons for Lawyers, Judges and the Media Two attorneys who litigated the case of three men accused in the death of Ahmaud Arbery joined a Superior Court judge in discussing the intricacies of the case on day one of the conference.
Moderators
• Hyde Post, Hyde Post Communications, St. Simons Island
• Margaret Coker, The Current, Savannah
Panelists
• Hon. Lisa Colbert, Judge, Superior Court, Eastern Judicial Circuit, Savannah
• Linda Dunikoski, Senior Assistant District Attorney, Cobb Judicial Circuit, Marietta
• Robert G. Rubin, Peters Rubin Sheffield & Hodges, PA, Decatur
Like many, you may have watched the trial of Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William Bryant through the daily CourtTV feed as did much of the country. Linda Dunikoski and Robert G. Rubin were in the Glynn County courtroom litigating the case: Dunikoski as the lead prosecutor and Rubin as attorney for defendant Travis McMichael. Judge Lisa Colbert rounded out the panel to lend a judicial lens to the discussion.
Dunikoski spoke of the challenges her office faced after the Cobb County District Attorney's Office took over the case months after the initial investigation into the death of Ahmaud Arbery. Rubin discussed trial strategy, working with the lawyers of his client's co-defendants, the citizen's arrest law, etc.
Additional topics covered during the panel included jury selection, implicit1 and explicit biases, the aftermath of the verdict, perceived turning points of the trial and Travis McMichael's testimony.
On the constant coverage of these types of...
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