Expediting Appeals
The Expediting Appeals project will seek to expedite the appeals process for termination of parental rights matters. Recognizing the tremendous harm done to children who are left in limbo without a permanent home, states across the country have recently addressed this matter in a variety of ways. This effort will seek to benefit from that experience by examining other states’ methods and determining those which are most applicable to Georgia’s process. GC4J committee members and staff will identify specific steps that might be taken by the judicial system to decrease the length of time taken for TPR appeals, thereby improving permanency and positive outcomes for children in state custody.
Major Goals for Expediting Appeals
Track the current time for appeals and report back to the courts
- Strategies
determine the specific points in the appellate process that halt or slow it down. Initial findings point to transcript preparations, extensions, filing problems, docketing or conflicts
Evaluate the processes implemented in other states and determine if any are appropriate for Georgia
- Strategies
examine court rules in Ohio, Alaska, Kentucky designed to shorten time frames, Tennessee and Texas instituted procedures to expedite TPR cases and now they have the fastest appellate decision time in the country. Massachusetts instituted a one justice review system decreasing appeal times by an average of 2.1 months. Iowa revised and simplified appellate process resulting in reduction in average time of TPR to final appellate order from 397 days to 90.
Raise awareness of the issue and build support throughout the judicial system
- Strategies
simply informing the judicial system participants of the crucial role they play in improving outcomes for children can bring change. Multiple presentations, communications with court reporters, clerks, attorneys and judges may result in increased attention and voluntary expedition of cases.
