What is your name?

Regina J. Matthews

When is your birthday?

January 1, 1979

Tell us more about yourself.

I am a wife, mom, and judge who values faith, family and service to community. I also firmly believe that the effective administration of justice depends on judges who have a deep knowledge and understanding of the law, integrity, a strong work ethic, the appropriate judicial temperament, and the trust of his/her constituents and legal colleagues. I have demonstrated all of these attributes, and am the only candidate in my race who has served as a judge in our community, having made hundreds of sound legal rulings in Superior Court by designation. I am ready, day one to provide the judicial experience and leadership needed in Division 5.

What office are you running for?

Superior Court of Gwinnett County, Division 5

What is your party affiliation?

Non-Partisan

Attach a photo of yourself

Attach your resume or CV.

Where did you go to school?

- Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center, Chicago, 1993-1997 - University of South Carolina, Columbia, 1997-2000 - Emory University School of Law, 2001-2004

Provide the link to your campaign website.

www.judgematthews.com

What is your job/occupation?

Magistrate court judge

What city/neighborhood do you live in?

Lilburn

Is this your first time running for office?

Yes

What experiences have best prepared you to hold elected office?

Prior to taking the bench, I maintained a practice specializing in criminal and family law. I have extensive jury trial experience as a prior litigator the areas of law most frequently heard in Superior Court. Additionally, I acquired extensive legal research, writing, and case management skills as a federal law clerk and senior staff attorney. Since my appointment to the bench, I have been designated 173 times by my judicial colleagues to offer judicial assistance in their courtrooms. I have resolved hundreds of cases in Superior Court specifically, and have presided over both civil and criminal bench and jury trials in Superior Court.

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

If the appearance of impartiality for any legal matter I may preside over is presented, the public can be confident that I will recuse myself as required to continue to ensure the integrity of our court system and trust amongst our community. Additionally, trust comes from ensuring that litigants are treated with respect and dignity — always. Trust also comes from judges giving clear rationale for rulings — and explanations of how rulings are consistent with the law that we are bound to follow. Done consistently, the public will be clearer about why a particular decision was made. This decreases the perception that rulings are based on some inappropriate factor.

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?

If we, as judges, do a better job of explaining what the law being applied is as it relates to rulings in our courtrooms, that could decrease any mistrust in our courts and could help assure that decisions are not being made for a political reason. Our oath also requires that we appear impartial at all times, which means we must refrain from expressing, or appearing to express, a comment about policy matters or partisan politics publicly. Finally, campaign contribution limits and rules help ensure that judicial candidates aren't unduly influenced by the backing of any particular political party or lobbyist group.

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 can't ignore the increased rise in hostility towards court officials generally, but it isn't something that I think about regularly in the course of carrying out my judicial responsibilities. We have amazing courtroom deputies employed by our Sheriff's Department who receive extensive training on courtroom security. Our local law enforcement agencies also have policies in place that help ensure safety for judges outside of the courthouse as well. Because most judges are elected, and hence politicians, it is very difficult to retain much privacy. Our whereabouts are not difficult to ascertain. It is unsettling, but I don't have specific concerns

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

In Gwinnett, we are in a unique position in that we aren't experiencing the same degree of backlog from the pandemic as some courts. I believe it's a testament to the strong work ethic and commitment our judges and judicial staff demonstrated during the pandemic when our courts continued functioning, using electronic means. Additionally, many of our judges added extra calendar dates and utilized juridical assistance orders for judges from other classes of courts, like myself, and senior judges more frequently to help decrees the backlog. There are some courts in our circuit who currently have no backlog from the pandemic.

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?

I am aware that some judges stream court hearings because those courts are still operating where their physical courtrooms aren't open to the public for reasons stemming from the pandemic or otherwise .In those instances, the only way to ensure that their hearings are public is to stream them via the internet. Trials are usually livestreamed when the media specifically requests such access. I do not oppose the lawful streaming of said hearings or trials, as allowable by our rules. I also would not oppose live streaming for all court hearings and trials if circumstances required me to close my physical courtroom for safety or other similar reason.

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

It's been my experience that our courts operate in a sprit of full access to court records, as dictated by law. I'm not personally aware of any instance in which access to our court records has been an issue. Judges are allowed some latitude, again consistent with the law, to seal certain court records that are prohibited from public disclosure by law. In other instances, there is some discretion where a judge may determine that one's right to privacy outweighs the public interest to access a certain record for some articulable reason. Those are decided on a case-by-case basis. Again, I am not aware of any overuse of said discretion in our courts.