See You In Court

Ken Hodges was only 30 years old when voters elected him District Attorney of the Dougherty Judicial Circuit in 1996.

He entered office facing a backlog of eight death penalty cases. Within his first two years, those cases were moved forward and taken to trial.

Hodges also reorganized the office around trial teams to reduce unnecessary delays and developed programs aimed at protecting children and crime victims. Those efforts included a child prosecution unit, child advocacy center, truancy program and sexual assault unit.

This clip from Episode 54 of See You In Court provides another piece of the larger story behind Judge Hodges’ career, from prosecutor and district attorney to private practice, State Bar leadership and eventually the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Listen to the full episode:
https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

Watch:
https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

What happens when a seat belt fails to protect someone in a crash, a workplace machine has a dangerous design, or a trucking accident investigation reaches the wrong conclusion?

Behind these situations are real people, complicated legal questions, and investigations that can uncover surprising truths.

In Episode 56 of See You In Court, hosts Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate welcome Tedra Cannella and Rob Snyder, founding partners of Cannella Snyder LLC, for an engaging conversation about product liability, consumer safety, corporate accountability, and the pursuit of justice through Georgia's civil courts.

Drawing on years of experience handling complex product liability, wrongful death, personal injury, and whistleblower cases, Tedra and Rob share remarkable stories that reveal what happens behind the scenes of major civil litigation.

Inside This Episode

A $127 million verdict: The story of Andrews v. Autoliv, involving a seat belt design that raised serious safety questions and a lengthy legal battle.

A $56.5 million wrongful death verdict: Why a family pursued judicial recognition of their daughter's death even when recovering the full judgment was unlikely.

The trucking crash investigation: How expert analysis, dashcam footage, and overlooked evidence challenged the original findings in a fatal accident.

When products become dangerous: Understanding design defects, manufacturing defects, inadequate warnings, and Georgia's 10-year statute of repose.

Workplace injuries: Why defective machinery can sometimes create legal claims beyond workers' compensation.

Whistleblowers and corporate accountability: How the False Claims Act helps uncover fraud against the government and why courtroom ethics matter.

The discussion also reveals unexpected moments from the courtroom, including disputed evidence, sanctions against defense attorneys, and an extraordinary hotel controversy during a federal trial.

But beyond the cases and verdicts, this episode asks a more fundamental question: What does justice really mean?

For Tedra and Rob, the answer involves both the fairness of the legal process and the opportunity to achieve an outcome that recognizes the harm people have experienced.

Whether you're interested in Georgia law, consumer protection, or the stories behind major civil cases, this conversation offers a compelling look at the legal system and the people it serves.

About Our Guests

Tedra Cannella and Rob Snyder are founding partners of Cannella Snyder LLC, a Georgia law firm representing individuals and families in complex civil litigation.

Learn more: https://cannellasnyder.com/

Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

https://youtu.be/FDP8dvbJQIk

About See You In Court

See You In Court is hosted by Robin Frazer Clark and Lester Tate, both past presidents of the State Bar of Georgia. The podcast is sponsored by the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping Georgians understand their civil justice system, individual rights, and the importance of an independent judiciary.

Podcast website: https://seeyouincourtpodcast.org/

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@seeyouincourtpodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Georgia Civil Justice Foundation: https://fairplay.org/

Disclaimer

Please note: The information provided in this podcast and its related content is intended solely for educational and informational purposes as a public service by the Georgia Civil Justice Foundation.

Legal issues can be complex and individualized. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction who can provide legal guidance that suits your particular situation.

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges spends most of his judicial work reviewing what happened in trial courts.

But for a brief period, he got to go back.

In this See You In Court clip, Judge Hodges explains how he volunteered to help a Fulton County Superior Court judge dealing with a significant backlog.

His first stint resulted largely in pleas, even in murder cases that initially appeared likely to go to trial. When he returned a second time, an aggravated assault case did go before a jury, allowing Hodges to preside as a trial judge.

The experience highlights one of the interesting contrasts in his career. Appellate judging requires extensive reading, record review and analysis. Trial court requires decisions in real time and constant interaction with lawyers, witnesses and the proceedings unfolding in front of you.

Judge Hodges makes no secret of which experience felt more lively.

Listen to the full Episode 54 conversation:
https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

Watch:
https://youtu.be/Pp0kjKRrB7g

Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Ken Hodges says one of the toughest parts of his job is the sheer volume of cases the court must decide.

That makes a potential change in Georgia’s appellate system especially significant.

In this clip, Judge Hodges discusses the possibility that many murder appeals currently handled by the Georgia Supreme Court could eventually move to the Court of Appeals. His concern is what happens if a substantial new caseload arrives without additional judges, staff attorneys or other resources.

In the full Episode 54 conversation, Hodges explains why that could affect not only the new cases, but also oral arguments, discretionary applications and the amount of time available to carefully consider every case already before the court.

The jurisdiction change has not occurred, but the debate provides a revealing look at the workload and resource challenges behind Georgia’s appellate justice system.

Listen to the full episode:
https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/

When Ken Hodges became District Attorney of the Dougherty Judicial Circuit, he inherited a backlog of eight death penalty cases.

Judge Hodges says the mishandling of one of those cases helped motivate him to run for district attorney, and working through that backlog became an important part of his early years in office.

Yet when asked which prosecution stands out most, he points to State of Georgia v. Sidney Dorsey.

The murder and racketeering prosecution of the former DeKalb County sheriff was moved from metro Atlanta to Albany, where Hodges worked alongside District Attorney J. Tom Morgan during jury selection, opening statements, witness examinations and trial strategy.

This clip begins that remarkable chapter of Judge Hodges’ career. The story will continue when J. Tom Morgan joins See You In Court in an upcoming episode.

Listen to the full Judge Hodges episode:
https://seeyouincourt.podbean.com/e/episode-54-hon-kenneth-hodges-georgia-court-of-appeals/