ATLANTA, Ga. — Colquitt County State Court Judge Richard T. Kent recently attended mandatory continuing legal education and judicial certification classes presented by the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education in Young Harris, Ga.

Judicial programs enable judges to meet their mandated requirements established by the Supreme Court of Georgia.

These programs provide the judges with information about new legal issues making their way through the courts as well as dozens of new laws and the hundreds of cases issued each month on the interpretation of these laws. These classes allow the judges to identify and find appropriate solutions to problems that may interfere with the court’s ability to be fair and unbiased when deciding cases. Additionally, many discussions allow the judges to share ways that create more efficient and effective ways of processing cases from filing to final disposition.

“The focus of this type of judicial training is to improve the quality of justice that these extraordinary courts are able to provide to the citizens of their communities,” said Rich Reaves, executive director for the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education located at the University of Georgia.

Kent also serves on the Council of State Court Judges of Georgia, which is made up of judges throughout the state finding ways to fulfill its mission to further the improvement of the state court and the quality and expertise of its judges, to maintain the impartiality of judiciary and to ensure the fair and efficient administration of justice.