Tahnicia Phillips was sworn in as Cobb’s Clerk of the State Court.  Phillips, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Republican Robin Bishop in November’s general election, garnering 52.21 percent of the vote.

Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan Murphy administered the oath of office.

Earlier, Alisha Hargett was sworn in as deputy clerk.  

Phillips has more than two decades of experience in the Cobb Courts courts. She began her career in Cobb as a part-time magistrate clerk and became court administrator of the Magistrate Court.

“I hope this moment serves as a beacon of possibilities, proving that with faith, perseverance, and the support of community there is no limit to what we can achieve,” Phillips said, quoted in a news release on the Cobb County website..

The news release on the county website presented the following biography of Phillips:

Born and raised in Marietta, Georgia, Tahnicia is a proud graduate of Marietta High School. She furthered her education at Clark Atlanta University and Keller Graduate School of Management. She also completed the Cobb County/University of Georgia EXCEL program, a leadership development course that has equipped her with the skills to excel in the management of our courts.

Beyond her professional achievements, Tahnicia is deeply involved in her community. She is the co-founder and executive director of the Leonard Phillips Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to motorcyclists injured while riding. This foundation was established in honor of her late father, who was tragically killed by a hit-and-run driver.

About the Cobb County State Court

The 1983 Constitution of Georgia defined the judicial system in Georgia and described the duties of the various courts.

Not every county has a state court.  The state constitution gives the legislature the power to decide where the courts are needed.

The New Georgia Encyclopedia describes the duties of the state courts where they exist as follows:

In seventy counties in Georgia, state courts exercise jurisdiction over misdemeanor violations, including traffic cases, and adjudicate civil actions except in cases in which the superior court has exclusive jurisdiction. State courts are authorized to hold hearings on applications for an issuance of search and arrest warrants and to hold preliminary hearings. State court judges are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan, countywide elections. Candidates must be at least twenty-five years old, have been admitted to practice law for at least seven years, and have lived in the state for at least three years. Of the 109 authorized state court judgeships, approximately one-half of the positions are full-time and the others are part-time. Part-time judges may practice law, except in their own courts.

In Cobb County, the Solicitor General in State Court serves the basic prosecutorial role that the District Attorney would in Superior Court.