>>> HELLO.

I AM JIM BURRESS AND WELCOME TO THE LOUDERMILK-YOUNG DEBATE SERIES AND THIS IS THE DEBATE FOR THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT AND LET'S MEET THE CANDIDATES.

JOHN BARROW REPRESENTED DISTRICT 12 FOR 10 YEARS AND WAS A PRO BONO ATTORNEY FOR ATLANTA LEGAL EGG SOCIETY -- EIGHT SOCIETY .

ANDREW PINSON WAS APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR KEMP AND HE WAS APPOINTED TO THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT IN 2022 AND HE DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEBATE AND HE IS THUS REPRESENTED BY AN EMPTY PODIUM.

ROSIE MANINS IS A LEGAL AFFAIRS REPORTER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION AND CEDRA MAYFIELD IS A LITIGATION REPORTER FOR THE DAILY REPORT.

FOR RULES ON TODAY'S PROGRAM, VISIT THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB WEBSITE .

BEFORE WE START THE PROGRAM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT VIEWERS ARE AWARE THAT DUE TO THE GEORGIA CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT, THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB UNDERSTANDS THE CANDIDATE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HE COULD RULE ON SPECIFIC CASES OR TOPICS AND IF THE TOPIC IS ASKED A QUESTION HE FEELS VIOLATES THIS CODE, HE WILL LET US KNOW, AND WE WON'T BE EXPECTING AN ANSWER FROM THAT CANDIDATE.

YOU WILL FIND THE CODE ON THE DEBATE PAGE OF THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB WEBSITE.

THE CANDIDATE WILL ASK A QUESTION BY EACH PANELIST AND YOU WILL HAVE 60 QUESTIONS -- SECONDS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

YOU HAVE THE FIRST QUESTION, ROSIE.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.

YOU HAVE TAKEN A PUBLIC STANCE ON THE ISSUE OF ABORTION RIGHTS AND HAVE MADE THAT A CENTRAL PART OF YOUR ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

I AM CURIOUS HOW VOTERS CAN TRUST THAT YOU WILL BE IMPARTIAL AND SET ASIDE YOUR PERSONAL BELIEFS WHEN IT COMES TO DECIDING CASES THAT WOULD COME BEFORE YOU IF YOU WERE A JUDGE.

>> I AM GLAD YOU ASKED THAT.

RATIONALITY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT THE LAW AND AS THE WORD IMPLIES, THE ROOT WORD IMPLIES, IT ENTAILS FEELINGS ABOUT THE PARTIES AND BEING IN FAVOR OF ONE PARTY OR THE OTHER.

THE SUPREME COURT EXPLAINED THIS WHEN IT SAID IMPARTIALITY IS WHAT THE JUDGES SHOULD STRIVE FOR WHICH MEANS YOU SHOULDN'T FAVOR ONE PARTY OVER THE OTHER, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WILL BE OPEN-MINDED ON FREE OPEN- MINDED ON BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE LAW.

EVERY PERSON EXPECTED TO BE A JUDGE HAS TO HAVE STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THE LAW AND IF HE DOESN'T, HE ISN'T QUALIFIED TO SERVE ON THE COURT.

IF HE DOES HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT ISSUES, IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPINION AND KEEPS IT TO HIMSELF, HE HAS NO BUSINESS ASKING FOR YOUR BOAT.

>> ASK YOUR QUESTION, CEDRA MAYFIELD.

>> IN THE MORE THAN 40 YEARS THAT YOU HAVE PRACTICED LAW, YOU HAVE BEEN AN ATTORNEY, CONGRESSMAN AND CANDIDATE FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE SUPREME COURT OF GEORGIA AND YOUR OPPONENT HAS FEWER YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE BUT MORE YEARS OF JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE HAVING SERVED ON BOTH THE GEORGIA COURT OF APPEALS AND THE SUPREME COURT OF GEORGIA.

BASED ON EXPERIENCE, WHY SHOULD VOTERS ELECT YOU TO THE SUPREME COURT?

>> A BIG EXPERIENCE IS MEANINGLESS IF YOU DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE IN LIFE AND YOU HAVEN'T HAD LIFE EXPERIENCE REPRESENTING REAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE REAL PROBLEMS IN THE REAL WORLD AND BY THOSE QUALIFICATIONS, BRINGING TO THE GROUP A BACKGROUND OF EXPERIENCE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE IS NO CONTEST BETWEEN ME AND MY OPPONENT AND HE HAS A FEW YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE REAL WORLD AS A PAMPERED ASSOCIATE IN THE WALL STREET LAW FIRM AND I HAD 25 YEARS OF PRACTICE AS A PARTNER IN A SMALL FIRM IN A SMALL TOWN REPRESENTING FAMILIES ALL OVER THE STATE OF GEORGIA TRYING CASES ALL OVER THE STATE OF GEORGIA TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP WORKING WITH REAL PEOPLE AND REAL PROBLEMS AND MY OPPONENT CAN'T SAY THAT ANY HASN'T DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND HAS NEVER TRIED A CASE TO A JURY IN HIS LIFE.

I THINK THE EXPERIENCE IS NOT WHAT YOU START WITH IF YOU SHOW UP THERE WITHOUT ANY BACKGROUND BUT THE BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE YOU BRING TO IT AND THERE IS ONLY ONE REASON YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE MEMBER ON THE COURT TO BRING A DIFFERENT BODY OF EXPERIENCE AND MY OPPONENT BRINGS NONE FROM THE REAL WORLD AND I BRING A LOT.

>> THAT INCLUDES THE FIRST ROUND AND IN THE SECOND ROUND THE CANDIDATES QUESTION EACH OTHER AND SINCE ANDREW PINSON DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE, YOU MAY POSE A QUESTION TO THE EMPTY PODIUM AND YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO WHAT YOU BELIEVE YOUR OPPONENT WOULD'VE SAID.

>> MY OPPONENT'S EXCUSE FOR NOT BEING HERE IS THAT HE IS NOT ALLOWED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ISSUES THAT MAY COME BEFORE HIM AS A JUDGE AND THAT ISN'T TRUE AND HE KNOWS THAT.

THE GEORGIA CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT SPECIFICALLY STATES IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT A JUDGE FROM PUBLICLY STATING HIS VIEWS ON DISPUTED ISSUES AND THAT IS BECAUSE 20 YEARS AGO THE US SUPREME COURT STATED THAT ANY RULE THAT TRIES TO STOP A JUDGE FROM TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE THINKS ABOUT ISSUES LIKE THAT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL SO NOW THAT WE HAVE SHOWN THE EXCUSE FOR SKIPPING THIS DEBATE IS BOGUS, I WILL ASK THE QUESTION IN MY OPPONENT THAT I WOULD'VE ASKED IF I WERE HERE TODAY AND I BELIEVE THE GEORGIA ABORTION BAN VIOLATES THE STATE CONSTITUTION AND IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNDER OUR STATE CONSTITUTION AND WHAT YOU THINK?

WOULD'VE BEEN?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE RESPONSES.

THE RESPONSE IS THE SILENCE YOU JUST HEARD IS DEAFENING .

IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS BECAUSE MY OPPONENT HAS ALREADY VOTED TO UPHOLD THE GEORGIA ABORTION BAN IN EVERY WAY THAT A LAWYER CAN AND HE DEFENDED IT FOR YEARS AND MEANWHILE ROE V. WADE WAS ON THE BOOK AND HE WAS THE CHIEF APPELLATE LAWYER FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA WHEN GEORGIA JOINED ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI IN A CASE THAT OVERTURNED ROE V. WADE SO THE RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF EVEN IF HE WON'T AND THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN HIS RECORD IS HE IS TOO CHICKEN TO COME APPEARANCE STICK UP FOR HIMSELF.

>> THAT CONCLUDES OUR SECOND ROUND AND YOU'RE WATCHING THE DEBATE FOR GEORGIA SUPREME COURT.

ANDREW PINSON DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE AND IS REPRESENTED BY AN EMPTY PODIUM AND WE GO BACK TO OUR PANEL TO ASK QUESTIONS UNTIL WE RUN OUT OF TIME.

YOU GET THE FIRST QUESTION, CEDRA MAYFIELD.

>> AS IT STANDS TODAY THE CONSISTS OF NINE JUSTICES TWO OF WHICH ARE FEMA MINORITIES AND WITH REGARDS TO JUDICIAL DIVERSITY, DO YOU CONSIDER THE SUPREME COURT OF GEORGIA TO BE DIVERSE, AND HOW WOULD YOUR PRESENCE ON THE HIGH COURT HELP TO DIVERSIFY THE BENCH?

>> DIVERSITY IS AS DIVERSITY DOES AND IF YOU ALL HAVE THE SAME BACKGROUND, EITHER AS JUNIOR JUDGES OR JUNIOR PROSECUTORS, MATTER HOW DIVERSE YOU ARE ON THE OUTSIDE YOU BRING DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCES AND VALUES TO THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE GROUP AND THE ONLY REASON FOR HAVING MORE THAN ONE MEMBER ON THE COURT IS YOU CAN BRING OTHER PERSPECTIVE LIVES AND OTHER EXPERIENCES TO BEAR ON THE DECISIONS THE COURT HAS TO DECIDE AS A GROUP.

I THINK THERE ISN'T ENOUGH DIVERSITY FRANKLY IN ORDER TO DO THE JOB PROPERLY AND IT MEANS MORE PEOPLE HAVE REAL- WORLD EXPERIENCES LITIGATING WITH LAWYERS ALL OVER THE STATE AND EARNING YOUR LIVING BY REPRESENTING VOTE DEALING WITH THE HARDEST PROBLEMS THEY DEAL WITH AND THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE BEYOND THAT AND THERE IS HARDLY ANYBODY IN THE COURT THAT HAS MUCH IN THE WAY OF PUBLIC SERVICE BUT NOBODY HAS THIS EITHER AS A LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL OR MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND THAT CAN ONLY HELP THE COURT DO ITS JOB.

>> IT IS YOUR TURN TO ASK A QUESTION, ROSIE MANINS.

>> CONGRESSMAN, THERE WERE FOUR JUSTICES OF THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT WHO ARE UP FOR ELECTION THIS YEAR AND I AM CURIOUS WHY YOU CHOSE TO CHALLENGE JUSTICE ANDREW PINSON AND IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT IS THAT HE IS THE YOUNGEST AND NEWEST MEMBER OF THE COURT?

>> NO.

HE DOES HAVE A RECORD ON THE ISSUE THAT I THINK IS THE MOST SALIENT WHICH IS WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE ONLY ISSUE BUT IT IS A PARTICULARLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE TENSION BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE PEOPLE'S RIGHTS AND IT'S A VERY SALIENT ISSUE AND HE HAS A RECORD ON THAT AND I ASK IS WHY AREN'T OTHER PEOPLE QUESTIONING AND I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO DO SO.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE ON MORE THAN JUST ONE JUSTICE AND IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO LOSE, YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH OUR JUDICIARY AND THE MAIN PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THEY AREN'T ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE AND INSTEAD THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE POLITICIANS WHO APPOINT THEM AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE IN A CONSPIRACY BUT YOU CAN'T HELP BUT CARRY FORWARD THE POLITICAL AGENDA OF THE POLITICIANS WHO APPOINT YOU AND EVERYBODY ON APPELLATE COURTS AND IT'S NOT A GOOD THING AND WE SHOULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE ELECTED TO JUDICIAL OFFICE LIKE THIS ONE.

AND BETTER ASK WHY SOMEBODY ISN'T RUNNING AGAINST SOME OF THE OTHERS INSTEAD OF ONE AT A TIME.

>> YOUR TURN TO ASK A QUESTION, CEDRA MAYFIELD.

>> AS AI CONTINUES TO BECOME MORE MAINSTREAM, THE DIVIDE IS BREWING ABOUT WHETHER AND HOW AI SHOULD EXIST IN THE LEGAL SECTOR.

WHAT IF ANY CAPACITIES DO YOU THINK AI COULD OR SHOULD BE UTILIZED BY A JUDGE?

>> I AM VERY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

YOU HAVE THE USE OF FACT CHECK INSIGHT CHECK FROM EVERY AUTHORITY YOU GET THAT THEY ARE DOING WITH AN ALGORITHM AND I KNOW AS A COURT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS BECAUSE LAWYERS WILL RELY ON THAT AS A STARTING POINT FOR A LOT OF THEIR WORK AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WILL DEAL WITH IT BUT BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS NEW IT DOESN'T MAKE IT SAFE AND BECAUSE SOMETHING IS OLD IT DOESN'T MEAN IT IS BAD AND WE HAVE TO WORK ON THIS IS A TEAM ON THE COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING ACCURATE INFORMATION AND CITATIONS OF AUTHORITY AND NOT LETTING MACHINES DO THE THINKING FOR US.

>> IT IS YOUR TURN TO ASK THE QUESTIONS --QUESTION, ROSIE MANINS.

>> AS FAR AS ANYBODY COULD TELL IN THE HISTORY OF THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT, NO INCUMBENT JUSTICE HAS LOST AN ELECTION THEY HAVE RUN FOR.

I AM CURIOUS TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THE ADVANTAGE THAT AN INCUMBENT HAS IN A NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL ELECTION.

AND ALSO HOW YOU CAN OVERCOME THAT ADVANTAGE IF THERE IS ONE WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE PARTY LINES TO RELY ON WHEN A VOTER MAY NOT HAVE THAT PARTISAN IN CLEAN ABOUT WHO YOU WOULD BE IS A JUDGE.

>> I AM NOT SURE PARTISAN ELECTIONS WOULD HELP AND I THINK IT WOULD POLARIZE THE JUDICIARY THAN IT ALREADY IS.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS TO ELECT JUDGES BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM AND THEY ARE MORE RARE THAN HEN'S TEETH.

NOBODY RUNS AGAINST INCUMBENT JUDGES AND THOSE WHO DO ARE OFTEN RUNNING AS A VANITY CAMPAIGN.

WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE STEPPING UP WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER AND WHO REALIZE THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS AND THE PROCESS WE RELY ON WITH PARTISAN OFFICIALS TO POINT -- APPOINT OUR ELECTED JUDGES WILL POLARIZE WITHOUT ANYBODY REALIZING IT IN THE BEST CHECK ON THAT PROCESS , AND IT IS A NATURAL TENDENCY IS TO HAVE MORE ELECTIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS FOCUSING ON ISSUES LIKE THE ISSUE THAT I THINK IS THE SALIENT ISSUE OF THIS ELECTION WHETHER OR NOT A WOMAN HAS THE SAME RIGHTS OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION THAT SHE USED TO HAVE AND ROE V. WADE AND I DO THINK SHE DOES IN MY OPPONENT DOESN'T.

>> CHIEF JUSTICE MELTON STEPPED DOWN IN PART BECAUSE OF THE PAY OF THE SUPREME COURT AND YOU BELIEVE THE PAY FOR JUSTICES IS ADEQUATE?

>> I BELIEVE IT IS.

I BELIEVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IS WHAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE OF QUALITY TO THE BENCH.

AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF SERVICE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALIFICATION THAT YOU OFFER AS A PERSON WHO WANTS TO RUN OR THE MONEY BUT YOU DO IT --IF YOU INFER THAT YOU ARE DOING IT FOR THE WRONG REASON.

>> THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS.

YOU WILL HAVE 60 SECONDS FOR A CLOSING STATEMENT, JOHN BARROW.

>> I BELIEVE THAT WOMEN HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS TODAY UNDER OUR STATE CONSTITUTION THAT THEY USED TO HAVE AND ROE V. WADE.

IT MEANS THAT THE CURRENT ABORTION BAN IN GEORGIA IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNDER OUR STATE CONSTITUTION AND MY OPPONENT DISAGREES WITH THAT AND DOESN'T AGREE.

I DO THINK THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO IS MAKE SURE WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE PROTECT DID AND THE NEXT SUPREME COURT.

MY OPPONENT ISN'T HERE TO DEFEND HIMSELF AND TO SAY WHAT HE BELIEVES AND I SAID WHAT I BELIEVE.

I THINK HE IS DOING THAT BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID TO FACE THE MUSIC AND NOT EXACTLY A ME.

IF YOU'D DON'T WANT POLITICIANS TO BE MAKING THE MOST PERSONAL AND HARDEST MEDICAL DECISIONS THAT YOU WILL EVER MAKE, THEN I DO ASK FOR YOUR VOTE AND I WOULD BE PROUD TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT.

>> THANK YOU.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR PROGRAM.

WE WANT TO REMIND VOTERS THAT EARLY VOTING STARTS APRIL 29 AND VOTING DAY IS AFTER THAT.

WE WANT TO THANK THE GEORGIA PRESS CLUB IN GEORGIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOR ARRANGING THE PROGRAM AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRESS CLUB DEBATES, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB LOUDERMILK-YOUNG DEBATE SERIES.

THANK YOU.