Court of Appeals of Georgia

Court Centennial Committee Meeting

October 20, 2005

1180 West Peachtree St., Suite 900

Atlanta, Georgia

Attendees:	Chief Judge John H. Ruffin, Jr., Chair

Judge Anne Elizabeth Barnes	Judge John J. Ellington

Judge Marion T. Pope, Jr.	Mr. Edwin Bell

Prof. Marjorie Girth	Mr. Scott Henwood, Attorney

Ms. Jill Pryor, Attorney	Ms. Laura Speed-Dalton, Attorney

Ms. Dianne Joy, COA	Mr. Bob McAteer, COA

Ms. Holly Sparrow, COA

1.	The Chairman called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. After a welcome
and introductions, the Agenda and minutes were approved.

2.	The Chairman reported that although Mr. Adams was unable to attend the
meeting he had assured him that the Court History book was progressing.
Judge Ruffin stated that he had received a copy of a book memorializing the
history of the Court of Appeals of Michigan and had sent it to Mr. Adams to
review.

3.	The Chairman then requested Judge Pope to give the report for the Finance
Committee. Judge Pope indicated that the Foundation had created brochures
which would be distributed soon along with appropriate solicitation letters.
There would be different types of recognition for donors depending on their
contributions.

4.	Following the Finance Committee report, the Chair asked Ms. Joy to begin the
Program Committee report. As Ms. Joy was distributing her handout, the
Chairman asked the members to consider adding two panel discussions to the	planned Centennial events. He stated he had spoken with Professor Girth
earlier about this idea, and he suggested that the topics might be "Judicial
Activism versus Judicial Restraint" and "Religion and the Judiciary". He asked	for discussion of this idea. Judge Pope stated that a panel on those subjects
would be timely, particularly in light of the issue made of judicial philosophies	of the candidates nominated to fill recent vacancies on the U.S. Supreme
Court.

Judge Barnes noted that a lively panel discussion would draw a crowd. Several
committee members suggested panel members including Neal Kinkopf and
Ann Emanuel of the GSU Law School, Jane Fahey, Tom Bordeaux and
possibly someone from the Emory Law and Religion Center. The Chairman
pointed out that the success of these discussions would depend on the panel
members. Additionally, he remarked that the religion and the judiciary panel
should include ministers from different faiths including the Jewish faith and
representatives from the appropriate law school programs.

A motion was made by Judge Barnes to have at least 2 panels on the above
topics as a part of the Centennial Celebration events. Ms. Pryor seconded the
motion, and it was approved unanimously by the committee. The Chairman
asked for volunteers for a special subcommittee to flesh out this idea and bring
a proposal to the full committee. Judge Barnes, Professor Girth, and Mr.
Henwood will form this new subcommittee. Judge Ruffin stated that he
would meet with Judge Barnes to discuss the idea further.

5.	Chief Judge Ruffin reported that he had contacted Frank Eldridge, Secretary
of the Senate, concerning a resolution of the legislature for the Proclamation
Ceremony. The Court will draft language that Legislative Counsel will
polish for the ceremony. The members confirmed that the ceremony should be
short, held on a different day than the State of the Judiciary speech, take place
early in the session, include a short speech, introduction of the current
judges, and unveiling of the plaque for the Judicial Building and omit reading
of the proclamations. It was suggested that Ms. Joy ask Judge Bernes to
contact Earl Ehrhart, of the House Rules Committee concerning arrangement
of the Proclamation Ceremony with the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

6.	Next, Jill Pryor gave the committee report on the oratorical contest, as
requested by the Chairman. She stated that the contest had been approved as
a project of the Appellate Practice Section of the State Bar. She would soon
solicit Section members as volunteers.

Ms. Pryor announced a proposed timeline which included publicizing the
contest before the end of the 2005 school term, determining school winners in
mid-September, 2006 and having finals by the end of that month. She pointed
out that there are three possibilities for location of the finals - a courtroom, a
law school or the State Bar Center.

Ms. Pryor said she is beginning to consider possible topics for the speeches
such as the meaning of the Court's motto or, maybe, one of the themes from
the panels Judge Ruffin has proposed. She will soon circulate some ideas to
the Committee members.

Judge Pope suggested that Ms. Pryor contact Justice Carley ,who was involved
with the moot court project in the schools, to obtain assistance from that group.	Since cooperation of the state public school system is vital to the contest,
Judge Barnes and Judge Ruffin offered to provide Ms. Pryor with contact
persons for Superintendent Kathy Cox. Professor Girth proposed that the
private schools also be asked to participate in the contest. Judge Ellington
remarked that he believed the private schools had an association which could
be contacted.

7.	Proceeding to a discussion of the dinner, Ms. Joy recounted the work she had
done to date. She stated that at the first of 2006 she would need to prepare the
guest list, determine the invitation format, speaker and other details for the
dinner. She suggested that members who attend various events over the next
few months take note of the details and provide her any ideas or examples for
things such as the invitations, commemorative gifts, centerpieces, etc. that they
think are outstanding. Judge Pope remarked that Ms. Joy should contact Mr.
Gibbs since he had some ideas she might use. Ms. Joy suggested theme colors
of black, gold and white for the event. Judge Ruffin offered purple, and after
discussion, it was decided that purple, gold and white would be used. There
was also a discussion of tickets to the dinner, but no final decisions concerning
these were made except that there would be an effort to provide invitations at
no cost to the interviewees of the court video project and to keep the tickets
at a reasonable level for a layperson. Ms. Joy asked that the Program
Committee hold a meeting to discuss the dinner and the financing for
it only.

8.	Ms. Joy gave a report on street banners next, noting that using Judge Barnes's	contact person with the City of Atlanta had resulted in receipt of the critical
information. Ms. Joy stated that the only missing detail was who could
install the banners. Ms. Joy explained the costs of the street banners and the
application process. It was determined to make an application as soon
as possible in the name of both the Centennial Committee and the Foundation,
Justice Served, so the time the Court would like to see the banners hanging
could be reserved. Judge Ruffin asked Ms. Joy to contact the companies who
make the banners by the next meeting and give a report on their services.

9.	Regarding the commemorative plaque, Ms. Joy reported she had located a
craftsman and determined the cost of a bronze casting to commemorate the
Centennial Anniversary. She said that it will take 8 to 12 weeks to have the
work completed, and Georgia Building Authority can install the plaque on the
building. The Court can pay for the plaque from its budget. She suggested the
plaque contain the Court's seal, the beginning and ending years of the
Centennial, the names of the initial judges, and those of the current judges.
Judge Ellington proposed the plaque be unveiled at the Appropriations
Room of the Capitol. Chief Judge Ruffin noted that the committee had earlier
decided to tie the unveiling with the Proclamation Ceremony.

10.	Shifting from the Program Committee report, Ms. Joy noted that Bob McAteer,	Holly Sparrow, and she had met pursuant to the Chairman's interest in
developing a media plan for the Centennial. She showed a sample of a media
kit she had prepared, stating that it would include the Court History booklet,	the video, a timeline for the events of the Centennial year and a few press
releases. She said the kits would be sent to all legal newspapers and other
media. Additionally, the Court would issue press releases immediately in
advance of each event and solicit several legal journal articles. It was
suggested that Ms. Joy contact attorney David Hudson of the Georgia Press
Association and Mr. Gibbs about contacts to Georgia newspapers.

11. The Chairman asked the Committee to reach the final topic for discussion for
the Program Committee, finalization of the speaker(s) for the dinner. He asked
that the members, individually, before the next meeting determine their choices	in a priority order of 1 to 5. At the next meeting, the whole group will vote on
the priority and give a list of 5 recommendations to the Court.

12	There being no further reports, the Chairman asked the committee to
to meet one more time before the end of the year. Wednesday, December 7,
2005 was set for the next meeting. Before adjourning the meeting, Judge
Ruffin recognized Mr. McAteer, who offered to show the members, after the
meeting, some of the historical photos of the Court he had acquired.

Thereafter, there being no further business, Chief Judge Ruffin adjourned the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

_____________________________________

Holly K. O. Sparrow

Deputy Court Administrator

Court of Appeals of Georgia

Minutes approved by the Court Centennial Committee

on the_____ day of , 2005