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August
2008 (Volume 4, Issue 8)
In this
Issue:
·
IMPORTANT! How FDIC's $100K Deposit Insurance Limit
Applies to Lawyer Trust Accounts
·
Pro Bono for Military Veterans & Service Members
Committee
·
Georgia Lawyers Support Cornerstones of FreedomSM
·
2008 Judicial Poll for the Contested Court of Appeals
Judgeship
·
Criminal Sentence Review Panel Ceases Operation
·
Final Membership Dues and State Bar of Georgia
Directory Reminder
·
Free Casemaker Research Offered Through the State Bar
·
Bar News and Events
The
Credit Crunch: How FDIC's $100K Deposit Insurance Limit Applies to Lawyer
Trust Accounts
In the current turmoil facing financial institutions and their depositors,
lawyers may be concerned about how and whether the FDIC's $100,000 limit on
deposit insurance applies to clients who have money on deposit in your
trust account. For useful information on this subject, visit the FDIC's website.
Pro
Bono for Military Veterans & Service Members Committe
The newly formed Pro Bono for Military Veterans & Service Members
Committee is working on a program that will encourage Georgia lawyers to
stand in the gap between legal services available to military personnel and
their needs that are going unmet. The committee is coordinating with
Georgia’s military installations to identify and prioritize unmet legal
needs.
The
committee also plans to support referral and volunteer attorneys with
training and resources to help make any relationship cost effective and
attractive for Bar members. In September, please be on the lookout for a
survey to determine willingness among Georgia lawyers to participate,
either on a pro bono or fee basis.
Georgia
Lawyers Support Cornerstones of FreedomSM
A special thank you goes out to all State Bar members who contributed to
the Bar’s Legislative and Public Education Fund. Lawyer contributions
enable the Bar to advocate effectively in the Georgia General Assembly on
issues that matter to lawyers. Your contributions to the fund are also
instrumental in sustaining the Bar’s Cornerstones of FreedomSM program:
television and radio broadcasts that build public support for fair and
impartial courts and the rule of law. For more specific information about
the program and its projects, please visit the website.
2008
Judicial Poll for the Contested Court of Appeals Judgeship
The 2008 Judicial Qualifications Poll will be mailed to Bar members Sept.
12. Since 1970, the State Bar of Georgia has conducted a poll of Georgia
lawyers to provide input on all contested statewide judicial races. The Bar
does not endorse or oppose any candidate, but does make public the results
of the lawyer poll to assist Georgia citizens in making informed choices in
these statewide elections. The results of the poll will be released to the
media Oct. 14. Thank you for providing this important service to the
public.
Criminal
Sentence Review Panel Ceases Operation
On July 7, 2008, the Supreme Court of Georgia declared former OCGA Section
17-10-6, the statute which established the Sentence Review Panel,
unconstitutional. Sentence Review Panel et al. v. Moseley, S08A0607, 2008
GA Lexis 567 (2008). As a result, effective that date, the Sentence Review
Panel has ceased operation and will be unable to review any of the
remaining cases. All applicants affected will be notified via U.S. mail.
For more information on the case, download the Supreme
Court Opinion.
Final
Membership Dues and State Bar of Georgia Directory Reminder
If you have not yet paid your 2008-09 Bar dues, please make your payment as
soon as possible in order to remain in good standing. Your dues payment
must be received by Sept. 1 to ensure your name is included in the printed
2008-09 Membership Directory. Visit the website
to make your payment online or print a copy of your dues invoice. You will
need your bar number and your birth date in order to log in to pay your
dues. If you prefer to pay by check, mail your payment to: P.O. Box 102054,
Atlanta, GA 30368-2054. Please be sure to include your bar number on all
correspondence. If you need assistance, please call the membership
department at 404-527-8777.
Please
confirm that we have your correct contact information for the directory by
looking up your information using the online
member directory. If needed, updates to your member profile can be made
online.
You will need your bar number and your birth date in order to log in and
review your information and make any changes. Sept. 1 is the deadline to
ensure that your information will be printed correctly in the new
Membership Directory. Address changes cannot be taken over the phone, but
if assistance is needed, please call the membership department at
404-527-8777.
Free
Casemaker Research Offered Through the State Bar
Learn how to effectively navigate the Georgia Casemaker library. Training
classes will be offered at the Bar Center on Thursday, Aug. 28, from 10
a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. The sessions are limited to the first 10
attendees. Download the registration
form and fax it to Kim Henry at 404-287-8394 by noon the day before the
class is scheduled. If you have additional questions about Casemaker,
please e-mail Kimberly White at kimberlyw@gabar.org or call 404-526-8618
Bar
News and Events
Please visit the Bar News and Events section at www.gabar.org for
information about upcoming events, projects and news items that may be of
interest or assistance to you and your practice.
Please
do not respond to this e-mail address. Send questions or comments to sarahc@gabar.org.
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