What is your name?

Robert Lee Mack Jr.

When is your birthday?

March 19, 1957

Tell us more about yourself.

I graduated from Southern Technical Institute with dual bachelors’ degrees in industrial engineering technology and apparel manufacturing engineering technology in 1979. I received my Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University School of Law in 1993. I was elected judge of the Superior Court of Clayton County in 2016, and now serve as chief judge for the Clayton County Judicial Circuit. I created the Clayton County Veterans Treatment Court in 2018 to assist veterans who are in the criminal justice system. I am a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Clayton County Bar Association, the Lawyers Club of Atlanta, and the American Judges Association. I have served on the board of directors of Dubois Integrity Academy, Inc., a charter school in Riverdale, and as pastor of Greater Works Missionary Baptist Church for the past 16 years.

What office are you running for?

Judge Superior Court of Clayton County

What is your party affiliation?

Non-Partisan

Attach a photo of yourself

Attach your resume or CV.

Where did you go to school?

- Fernandina Beach High School, 1975 - Bachelor of Industrial Engineering and Bachelor of Apparel Manufacturing, Southern Technical Institute, 1979 - Georgia State University College of Law, 1993.

Provide the link to your campaign website.

judgemack.com

What is your job/occupation?

Chief Judge Clayton Judicial Circuit

What city/neighborhood do you live in?

Jonesboro

Is this your first time running for office?

No

What experiences have best prepared you to hold elected office?

Twenty-three years in private practice representing clients in city, juvenile, probate, state, and superior courts throughout Georgia. I also represented clients before the Georgia Supreme Court, the Georgia Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. I have handled cases involving traffic citations, adoptions, divorces, bankruptcy, all manner of civil cases, municipality law, bonds and development authorities, housing authorities and criminal cases ranging from simple assault to death penalty cases. As judge of Clayton County Superior Court, I have presided in over 10,000 cases, including death penalty cases, since taking office on January 1, 2017. I presently serve as chief judge for the Clayton Judicial Circuit and as designated judge to hear writ of habeas corpus cases at the Georgia Diagnostic & Classification State Prison in Jackson, where prisoners challenge their death penalty sentences and murder convictions.

What actions would you take to enhance government transparency and trust in government?

Continue to ensure that the halls of justice remain open for all to come in and witness justice firsthand, and see it administered in a fair and impartial way, and to see that all who have a matter pending in court, gets their day in court and are treated with dignity and respect.

The court system is increasingly seen as overtly political. What more can be done to assure the public that the courts are neutral arbitrators of the law?

Continue to ensure that justice is readily accessible and fair and equal to all. By administering the laws in this fashion, the general public would come to understand that the interpretation and administration of the laws are not dependent upon one's political affiliation, race, gender, or economic status. Justice is what is deserved by and what should be afforded to all.

What are your personal security concerns, given the increasing attacks on judges and court officials nationwide and the rise in hostility toward judicial officials generally?

I have none, as I am comfortable with the security I am presently afforded.

How will you manage large caseloads exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic?

To manage these cases I hold criminal jury trials every month, sometimes twice each month, with the assistance of a senior Superior Court or state court judge. To help ease the overcrowding in the jail, I prioritize the cases of those incarcerated first, then those who are not incarcerated. Also, the number of inmates who suffer from mental illness continues to increase year after year, as there is a waiting period of about 300 days before an inmate can be evaluated. To help remedy this problem, I have enlisted the help of family members to get the inmate into an in-patient program for treatment. Once the family member locates a qualified treatment facility, I will sign an own recognizance bond or signature bond order, releasing the inmate to the custody of the family member who will take the inmate to the in-patient facility within 24 hours of their release from jail.

A number of judges are now streaming their court hearings and trials so they are completely open to the public. Will you commit to streaming your courtroom proceedings so anyone will be able to view them? If not, why not?

No, because one, my courtroom is always completely open to the public. If there is an interest in the proceedings, those who wish to attend can and will attend. And, two, there are too many disruptions with technology and it takes the focus away from the litigants and their case when court has to be interrupted in order to fix technical problems.

Do you believe public access to public records is sufficient in your jurisdiction and, if not, what steps do you support to remedy that?

Yes. I know of no issues nor have I been confronted with any such issues.