Lumpkin v. Johnson

Carley, Justice.

After the grand jury of Richmond County indicted William Lumpkin for murder, a related civil action was filed against him in Columbia County. The criminal case was assigned to a trial judge by the Chief Judge of the Augusta Judicial Circuit, acting pursuant to a discretionary procedure adopted by a majority of the superior court judges of that circuit. Lumpkin filed suit, seeking writs of mandamus and prohibition to compel the clerks of the respective superior courts to appoint the same judge to preside over both the criminal and civil cases. In seeking the issuance of these…