OFFICE OF STATE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS ANNUAL REPORT 2016

225 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 400, Atlanta, Georgia 30303www.osah.ga.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ContentsA Letter from the Chief_______________________________________________________________________________1

Meet OSAH’s Judges___________________________________________________________________________________2

Meet OSAH’s Staff Attorneys_______________________________________________________________________3

Judges and Staff________________________________________________________________________________________4

Nationwide Comparison______________________________________________________________________________5

Number of Cases Filed________________________________________________________________________________7

Court Locations_________________________________________________________________________________________8

Sample of Litigants____________________________________________________________________________________9

ANNUAL REPORT 2016

A Letter from the Chief Judge OSAH finished FY2016 having received 50,363 cases. Each judge was responsible for managing an average caseload in excess of 5,000 cases.  Although we have the highest caseload per judge in the nation, OSAH has used its human capital and innovative methods to achieve the lowest cost per case.  OSAH has only 40 employees; however, our hardworking judges, our committed staff members, and our reliance on technological advancements and stakeholder partnerships allowed us to finish FY2016 very strong.  

OSAH’s goal is to continue improving its performance to serve Georgia and its citizens ever more efficiently. We frequently measure our performance and strive to raise the bar with each passing year.  OSAH delivers excellent work quickly and efficiently, treats all hearing participants with courtesy, and is accessible to the citizens of Georgia’s 159 counties.  Consequently, our stakeholder satisfaction remains high. As we welcome new ideas and value change, we have been working diligently in the past year to lay the groundwork for innovations that will be implemented in the coming year.  

We could not have accomplished so much without the partnership of our stakeholders: the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Lt. Governor, the Office of the Speaker of the House, the members of the General Assembly, the Attorney General’s Office, the membership of the State Bar of Georgia, state agencies, the judiciary, law enforcement, and especially the citizens of Georgia.  We look forward to continuing to improve our services in FY2017.

Regards,

Michael Malihi, Chief Judge

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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Meet the Judges

Chief Judge Michael Malihi, OSAH

Chief Judge Lawrence O’Neal, Ga. Tax Tribunal

Judge Barbara Brown

Judge David Langston Judge Steven Teate Judge Patrick Woodard

Judge Carol Walker-Russell

Judge Ana Kennedy Judge Ronit Walker

Judge Kristin Miller Judge Stephanie Howells Judge Kimberly Schroer

Judge Amanda Baxter Judge Charles Beaudrot Judge Robert Marcovitch

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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Meet OSAH’s Staff Attorneys

Laurin McDonald, Esq. Dominic Capraro, Esq.

Jennifer Williams, Esq. Lisa Boggs, Esq.

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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Judges and StaffMichael Malihi, Chief JudgeJudicial Staff Administrative StaffJudge Amanda Baxter Melvina CummingsJudge Charles Beaudrot Dan DollarJudge Barbara Brown Evelyn GertschJudge Stephanie Howells Kacie GriffinJudge Ana Kennedy Victoria HightowerJudge David Langston Charmaine Hooke-PowellJudge Robert Marcovitch Hazel JacksonJudge Kristin Miller Jenna JudyJudge Lawrence O’Neal Gireesh KambalaJudge Kimberly Schroer Monica KellyJudge Steven Teate Christine LivingstonJudge Ronit Walker Gloria McDonaldJudge Carol Walker-Russell Grant MintzJudge Patrick Woodard Willie Muigai

Christa OrbannLarry Parker

Staff Attorneys Jason RouseLisa Boggs Kasey SalterDominic Capraro Delores WatersLaurin McDonald Kevin WestrayJennifer Williams Jason Hendrix, Trooper

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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Nationwide ComparisonHIGHEST ADJUDICATION RATE IN THE UNITED STATESGeorgia judges adjudicated the highest number of cases per judge in the United States.

NUMBER OF CASES ADJUDICATED PER JUDGE IN THE U.S.

GA SC TX OR MI LA MD NJ WA TN AK IA KS AZ WI FL CO CA ND WY MA NC MN -

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

5,6

08

1,4

04

51

2

49

6

46

6

42

3

38

1

37

0

34

0

28

2

25

4

25

4

24

5

23

7

21

1

18

5

15

6 78

67

65 25

25

24

Source: 2015 Comparison of States with Centralized Administrative Courts prepared by Louisiana

LOWEST COST PER CASE IN THE NATIONAt $91.00 per case, Georgia has the lowest cost per case in the nation. This is due, in part, to OSAH’s significant cost-saving measures, including its reliance on partnerships with 49 local courthouses that generously provide courtroom space to OSAH’s judges at no additional cost to taxpayers.

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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

COST PER CASE

Georgia

TX SC OR NJ LA MI IA WA TN MD KS WI AK AZ CO FL WY MA ND CA NC MN -

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

91 284

482

507

529

596

710

730

733

767

787

791

901

1,09

8

1,14

2

1,39

3 2,14

8

3,80

1 4,89

8

5,15

4

5,69

0

12,6

26

13,1

09

Source: Louisiana, 2015 Comparison of States with Centralized Administrative Courts

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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Number of Cases Filed FISCAL YEAR 2016: 50,363 CASES FILED IN 159 COUNTIES

OSAH has worked to exceed expectations and become one of the preeminent Administrative Courts in the nation in terms of quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. In 1995, OSAH adjudicated 19,000 cases with 67 judges and a staff of over 60 people. In FY2016, OSAH adjudicated over 50,000 cases with the help of only 15 judges and a staff of 25 people.

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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Court LocationsIn addition to Atlanta, every month OSAH Judges adjudicate cases throughout the State of Georgia in 49 locations at no additional cost to the taxpayers:HeadquartersAtlanta

Albany JonesboroAthens LaFayetteAtlanta LaGrangeAugusta LawrencevilleBainbridge MaconBlackshear MariettaBraselton McDonoughBrunswick MilledgevilleCanton MonroeCarrollton NewnanCartersville Richmond HillConyers RomeCordele RoswellCumming SavannahDallas StatesboroDalton ThomasvilleDawsonville TiftonDecatur ToccoaDouglasville ValdostaDublin Warner RobinsEast PointEllijay Fayetteville Garden City Greensboro Griffin Grovetown Hamilton Hazlehurst

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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Sample of LitigantsCitizens of the State of Georgia

Office of the GovernorBoard of Regents

Care Management Organizations Department of Banking and Finance

Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental DisabilitiesDepartment of Community Health

Department of Driver ServicesDepartment of Education

Department of Human ServicesDepartment of Labor

Department of Natural ResourcesDepartment of Public Safety

Department of RevenueDepartment of Transportation

Georgia Commission on Equal OpportunityGeorgia Composite Medical Board

Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance CommissionGeorgia Real Estate Appraisers Board

Georgia Real Estate Commission Office of the Secretary of State Office of the Inspector General

Peace Officer Standards and Training Council Professional Licensing Boards

Professional Standards CommissionPublic Retirement System

Technical College System of GeorgiaState Road and Tollway Authority

State Personnel Board

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