Dougherty County judges named in lawsuit - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Dougherty County judges named in lawsuit

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A civil lawsuit is filed against most Dougherty County court and legal officials demanding that people arrested be granted prompt bond and committal hearings.

Dougherty Superior and State Court Judges, the District Attorney, the Sheriff and two Dougherty County police officers are named in the suit filed by Steven Gregory. 

He claims he was held for 40 days in the Dougherty County Jail before being given a bond hearing. A practice his attorney hopes to stop.

"Particularly setting bonds promptly and getting committal hearings so that bad cases are thrown out prior to a large expenditure of time and resources.  And innocent people being locked up in jail," said James Finklestein, Attorney.

Finklestein says timely hearings would cut the jail population and court backlog and save tax payers millions of dollars.

The lawsuit asks that Gregory be paid punitive damages for his arrest and time in jail.

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