FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office is working to clear a backlog of unsolved court papers, including 124 temporary protective orders, as part of a temporary shift in resources.
Sheriff Pat Labat redirected resources to address the backlog of court papers and to ensure adequate staffing at the Fulton County Jail, he told Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne.
Labat issued a clarification memo after a previous document suggested limiting certain law enforcement activities, which generated attention in the law enforcement community.
The backlog of temporary protective orders involves many for domestic violence. In addition, there are 256 other civil documents such as divorce papers, and 85 tax documents that require personal service by a deputy.
Labat highlighted three crises: manpower shortages, staffing at the Fulton County Jail, and the backlog of court papers.
A recent incident involved deputies serving a temporary protective order at a Buckhead apartment, where they also discovered a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear on a previous larceny charge.
Capt. Nevel Phillips emphasized the importance of serving these orders promptly, noting that people’s lives may depend on them.
The efforts to clear the backlog of court papers aim to improve the efficiency of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and ensure that legal documents are served in a timely manner.
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