Students in Professor Elizabeth Jaffe’s PreTrial class recently had the opportunity to hear directly from two experienced members of Georgia’s judiciary when Chief Judge Scott Smith and Judge Samir Patel visited the classroom last week.
During their visit, Judges Smith and Patel shared practical insights into key aspects of pretrial practice, including discovery, pretrial conferences, and motions practice. Drawing from their experiences on the bench, they discussed how attorneys can effectively present arguments, prepare for hearings, and navigate the procedural stages of litigation before a case ever reaches trial. The discussion also gave students the chance to ask questions about courtroom expectations and how judges evaluate motions and pretrial strategy.
Judge Scott Smith serves as Chief Superior Court Judge of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. Appointed to the bench in 2011, he previously practiced law in private practice and worked in corporate litigation before beginning his judicial service. Over the years, Judge Smith has remained active in the broader legal community, including serving in leadership roles within the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia.
Judge Samir Patel currently serves as a Superior Court Judge for the Cherokee Judicial Circuit. Before joining the bench, he served as District Attorney for Bartow and Gordon Counties and previously worked as an assistant public defender and private practice attorney. In addition to his work in the courtroom, Judge Patel has also been involved in legal education and community service, including teaching law-related courses and supporting mock trial programs.
The visit provided students with a valuable opportunity to connect classroom concepts with real-world judicial perspectives. Experiences like these help future attorneys better understand how pretrial procedures function in practice and what judges look for when attorneys appear before the court.
