» jUDICIAL pROfILEs // fUlton CoUnty SUperior CoUrt 196
12. Using audio-visual equipment: Encouraged as needed
13. Trial exhibits: Must comply with applicable rule(s) of evidence
14. Courtroom decorum: Professional, respectful and deferential
15. Do you have special procedures regarding jury charges?
Submit jury charge requests prior to beginning of trial.
16. Do you require submission of requests to charge on issues
governed by a pattern charge? Yes
17. Resolving pretrial issues prior to striking jury: Highly encouraged for any case before the Judge
18. What constitutes good cause for:
a. Granting continuances: varies by circumstances and judged
on a case-by-case basis, discretionary
b. Extending discovery: varies by circumstances and judged
on a case-by-case basis, discretionary
19. Order preparations: Encouraged when appropriate and
often by direction
20. Suggestions/admonitions for counsel: Be prepared, appropriate, professional, and respectful
21. Irritating lawyer conduct: Being unprofessional, unprepared, disrespectful to staff members, and maintaining inappropriate decorum
judge Bensonetta Tipton Lane
phone: 404-612-8535
fax: 404-335-2864
Email: bensonetta.lane@
fultoncountyga.gov
College: New York University
Law school: University of Virginia
Born: Jan. 2, 1951
previous Experience: Private
practice, employment law; judge,
city court of Atlanta; current
position, 1995-present
policies, procedures and Recommendations:
1. Division designation: I.
2. Pretrial conferences and pretrial orders: No
3. Require dispute resolution: Yes, domestic and most civil.
4. Telephone conferencing: Yes, but not desired.
5. Special settings: Yes.
6. Attaching supporting authorities: Yes.
7. Letter briefs: Yes.
8. Filings on computer disk: Not necessarily, with the exception
of proposed findings and conclusions in more complex cases.
9. Voir dire: Jurors are seated en masse during general question and then seated in the jury box for individual questioning.
10. Court hours/breaks: 9: 30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with one hour for
lunch for jury trials. Longer days and less lunch for non-jury
matters.
11. Available audio-visual equipment: See court administrator.
None owned by division.
12. Using audio-visual equipment: None.
14. Courtroom decorum: All parties should treat each other,
witnesses, jurors, court personnel and the court with respect.
15. Jury charges: Please email suggested charges to Judicial
Assistant ( carla.broyles@fultoncountyga.gov).
16. Pattern charges: Yes, but only by way of reference to pattern charge.
17. Resolving pretrial issues prior to striking jury:
a) Criminal: Yes.
b) Civil: Yes.
18. What constitutes good cause for:
a) Granting continuances: Counsel’s representation that more
time is needed is generally sufficient in the absence of tangible prejudice to one of the parties. We have enough cases to
work on.
b) Extending discovery: Counsel’s representation that more
time is needed is generally sufficient in the absence of tangible prejudice to one of the parties. We have enough cases to
work on.
19. Order preparation guidelines: Only that both sides have
reviewed the order before it is submitted.
20. Suggestions/admonitions for counsel: Proper preparation.
21. Irritating lawyer conduct: Not being prepared; unresolved
discovery issues. Failure to move past an issue once it has been
resolved
22. Other recommendations: Less is often so much more.
judge shawn Ellen Lagrua
phone: 404-612-8460
fax: 404-612-8464
Email: shawn.lagrua@
fultoncountyga.gov
Law school: Georgia State
University College of Law
previous Experience: Assistant
district attorney in DeKalb and
Tallapoosa circuits and the Fulton
District Attorney’s Office. DeKalb
County solicitor, appointed Georgia
Secretary of State inspector general in 2007.
policies, procedures and Recommendations:
1. Division designation: Trial court, criminal, civil
2. Pretrial conferences and pretrial orders: File as necessary
3. Require dispute resolution: When appropriate
4. Telephone conferencing: When appropriate
5. Special settings: Appropriate only under special circumstances
6. Attaching supporting authorities: Encouraged when appropriate
7. Letter briefs: Encouraged when appropriate
8. Filings on computer disk: No; however filings via email in
addition to paper copies are highly encouraged
9. Voir Dire: Submitted to court prior to trial
10. Court hours/break: Varies daily under judge’s discretion
11. Available audio-visual equipment: Yes
