PRESS RELEASE
February 21, 2020
RESTORE JUSTICE!
Catherine Sanderson has announced that she will qualify to run to replace Mack Crawford as Superior Court Judge of the Griffin Judicial Circuit. After the actions of Judge Crawford while on the bench, Sanderson is committed to restoring integrity and confidence in the judicial system in this circuit. Sanderson, whose motto is "Restore Justice!", understands that the public's confidence in the court system has seriously deteriorated. When the Judge himself is removed due to criminal conduct, the public is rightfully outraged. Sanderson will work hard to restore the public's trust.
Catherine’s 22 years of direct courtroom experience handling family law and criminal cases makes her the best candidate for Superior Court Judge.
It is particularly important to have a Judge with family law experience. "Remember that, while many criminal cases pass through our courts, most of those are pleas or jury trials," Sanderson explains. "Nearly all contested family matters, however, are decided by a judge. Even if a divorce is tried by jury, the custody and visitation rights are decided by the judge. That means that roughly 80% of a judge’s time is spent on family matters. I have both life and professional experience that make me very qualified for this job."
Sanderson ran against Mr. Crawford in 2016, due to his inability to efficiently manage his cases, leading to long delays and bad results for families. Sanderson points out that unnecessary delays have several negative effects. "When family court issues such as divorces and custody hearings are extended" she says, "the cost of attorney’s fees increases and so does the amount of stress on everyone involved, especially the children."
"My extensive experience in family law has given me a first-hand look at how these types of cases – and their outcomes – affect families," she says. "When you’ve seen all aspects of the suffering involved, as I have, you gain a clearer understanding of the nuances and complexities of family law cases."
In criminal cases, Sanderson says, delays are also problematic because guilty parties are often out on bond for longer than they should be, which can be extremely frustrating for victims. On the other hand, she explains, if the accused is innocent, his or her life is put in limbo until the case is heard. Sanderson also points out that unnecessary delays impact taxpayers as well, regardless of the nature of the trial.
A "military brat," Sanderson lived in Fayette County through middle school before attending high school on three continents. She holds a BA from The College of William & Mary and graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1998. Sanderson lives in Fayette County with her three children, and has been practicing law for almost 22 years. She has litigated hundreds of cases, including complex custody cases, divorce, child support, and domestic violence cases. Sanderson has felony and misdemeanor criminal law experience in state and superior courts, handling family and criminal cases in Fayette, Spalding, Pike and Upson County. She served as foreman of the Fayette County Grand Jury in 2010 and has successfully handled several groundbreaking appeals. Sanderson’s community involvement includes significant volunteer work with the Drug Free Fayette Coalition, AVPride and Fayette Factor, board service with Promise Place, the YMCA, the Fayette County Bar, DART, and the Southern Conservation Trust. She coached the Starr’s Mill Mock Trial team and is a member of Peachtree City UMC, the Fayette County Chamber, and the Peachtree City Rotary Club.
Positions:
- Restore integrity
- Restore confidence in the judicial system
- Restore Justice!
- Efficient, timely trials
- Compassion for families
- Protection of Constitutional rights
- Fair & reasonable proceedings
- Backroom deals
- Unequal treatment
- Unnecessarily lengthy/costly divorces
- Unreasonable court delays
- Prolonged custody battles
- Postponements of criminal cases
