Cobb County - Judicial Misconduct

Judicial misconduct occurs when a judge acts in ways that are considered unethical or otherwise in violation of the Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct.

The Cobb County judicial system in the State of Georgia has a well documented history of judicial misconduct.

Frank R. Cox - former Chief Magistrate Judge of Cobb County

Former Cobb County Chief Magistrate Court Judge Frank R. Cox

Former Cobb Chief Magistrate Frank R. Cox took office in 2001. He supervised a staff of 50 people, including 14 judges. He received his B.S. Degree from Georgia State University and his Juris Doctor from Woodrow Wilson College of Law. Prior to his judgeship, Cox served as an assistant district attorney in Cobb for 15 years.

JQC Complaint Leading to Resignation

In an article written by Dan Klepal for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "two attorneys filed separate complaints against Frank Cox with the Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigates accusations of judicial misconduct and makes disciplinary recommendations to the Georgia Supreme Court."

"Both complaints center around judicial temperament, and how people were treated in Cox’s courtroom."

Wrongful Termination of Wanda Spann

"Wanda Spann served as Cobb County Pretrial Court Services Director from 1983 – 2003. She was appointed to this position by the Cobb County Superior Court Judges Council at age 23, becoming Cobb County’s first African American department head and judicial appointee."

Mrs. Spann had a stellar career in Cobb’s court system for 23 years but was unlawfully terminated in May of 2003 by Chief Magistrate Judge Frank Cox, a person who had absolutely no authority over her or Pretrial Court Services. Spann served at the pleasure of the Cobb County Superior Court Judges Council according to the Uniform Superior Court Rules of Georgia.

Cox orchestrated a witch hunt against Spann to remove her from her position. His plan consisted of deceitful and unethical practices such as accessing Spann’s computer from a remote site to obtain a letter she was writing to the Superior Court Judges seeking protection from his constant harassment. Cox was angry because Spann complained he was trying to force one of her employees to sign a letter he dictated in the employee's name, which contained lies to circumvent conditions of a murder defendant's bond. She also complained of his improprieties concerning the bonds of child molesters and other serious offenders.

On March 19, 2003 Cox was given a memo by Superior Court Judge Mary Staley which stated that the Georgia Supreme Court had approved for the Chief Magistrate to have supervisory authority over Spann and her department. This was not true. Cox used the letter to place Spann under house arrest/suspension.

On May 21, 2003 Mary Staley gave Cox another letter containing similar information which he used to terminate Spann the following day.

Robert D. Leonard II - Chief Superior Court Judge of Cobb County

Judge Leonard presently serves as the Chief Judge for the Cobb Judicial Circuit. He has served the citizens of Cobb County since his appointment to the bench in December of 2010. Through his service on the benches of both the State & Superior Courts of Cobb County, he has the unusual distinction of having been appointed by two different Governors and elected three times without opposition.

A (Not So) Voluntary Recusal in Waffle House Sex Tape Case

In an article written by Bill Rankin for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Judge Robert Leonard recused himself from the case after making biased rulings in favor of his wife's attorney, Hylton Depree.

Leading Cobb's Notorious "Pay-to-Play" Way

"Wanda Spann served as Cobb County Pretrial Court Services Director from 1983 – 2003. She was appointed to this position by the Cobb County Superior Court Judges Council at age 23, becoming Cobb County’s first African American department head and judicial appointee."