2025 CACJ Conference Awards Press Release (September 2025).pdf
October 02, 2025
CACJ Announces the 2025 Annual Award Winners
The Council of Accountability Court Judges Announces Award Recipients at Annual Training Conference and 10th Anniversary Celebration
Athens, GA --- While also celebrating their 10th anniversary, the Council of Accountability Court Judges (CACJ) announced the 2025 recipients of the prestigious Star Awards, Judge Tommy Day Wilcox Award, Judge Stephen S. Goss Award, Data Driven Award, and Model Court Recognition at the awards ceremony at the annual training conference on Monday, September 15, 2025.
Star Awards
CACJ distinguishes accountability court professionals across the state for their hard work and dedication to the programs they serve. Award recipients are nominated by their fellow team members, and CACJ selects and recognizes one person from each team role to receive the Star Award.
This year’s Star Award recipients are:
*Judge: The Honorable Gregory Voyles, Lowndes County DUI Court
*Coordinator: Hailey Smith, DeKalb County DUI Court
*Case Manager: Dee Plummer, Pataula Circuit Drug Court
*Defense Attorney: G. Richard Stepp, Gwinnett County Mental Health Court
*Prosecutor: Jamal Williams, Clayton County Mental Health Court
*Probation Officer: Davi Clyne, Gwinnett County Superior Court Veterans & Mental Health Court
*Treatment Provider: LaNisha Alford, Clayton County Veterans Treatment Court
*Family Treatment Court Attorney: Hal Walker, Hall County Family Treatment Court
*DFCS Case Manager: Marissa Sabbath, Hall County Family Treatment Court
*CASA Advocate: Lisa Sexton, Hall County Family Treatment Court
*Peer Support Specialist: Leann Sorbello, Douglas County CHANCE Court
*Law Enforcement Officer: William Bryan, Clayton County Mental Health Court
Judge Tommy Day Wilcox Leadership Award
Judge Tommy Day Wilcox was the first accountability court judge in Georgia, and he presided over the Macon Drug Court. In his honor, the Judge Tommy Day Wilcox Award goes to the STAR Award nominee that received the highest overall score.
This year’s winner is Latrell Gulotta, Coordinator of the Chatham County Family Treatment Court. In her eight years of service, Ms. Gulotta has also been active in CACJ serving on committees and workgroups and as a peer mentor. She has emerged as a leader of the Eastern Circuit’s seven accountability courts, working to ensure participants’ needs are met, and the courts continue to seek ways to share resources. Her compassionate approach fosters trust and engagement among families facing complex challenges, including substance use, child welfare, and mental health issues. Ms. Gulotta’s professionalism, innovative spirit, and compassionate leadership make her an invaluable asset to her team, clients, and community.
Judge Stephen S. Goss Award
In memory of the late Honorable Stephen S. Goss, the CACJ created an award to honor his life and legacy as a nationally recognized expert on mental health. In 2002, Judge Goss founded the Dougherty Superior Court Mental Health & Substance Abuse Treatment Program. It served as one of four learning sites for mental health courts as designated by the United States Bureau of Justice Assistance and was the first mental health court created in the state of Georgia. His contribution to the field of mental health courts is felt nationwide, as well as in Georgia.
The 2025 winner of the Judge Goss Award is Danielle Carico of the Gwinnett County Mental Health Court and Veterans Treatment Court. Ms. Carico is known as the steady hand that leads both court programs, and one of her best qualities is her ability to educate team members about mental health disorders and treatment options in ways the team can understand. In her 12 years of service, she regularly coordinated many divisions, departments, and staffers to ensure clients receive the best care and support. Ms. Carico shares her passion for the community by serving as a Peer Evaluator through CACJ. She takes on additional responsibilities and time away from her day job with the Mental Health Court and Veterans Treatment Court and her personal life by travelling the state to help other courts succeed.
Data Driven Award
CACJ’s Data and Research Committee created the Data Driven Award to reward programs who fully utilize data and their case management systems to improve program and participant outcomes. Since data is instrumental to self-evaluation and for sharing program outcomes with community partners, stakeholders, and legislators, the Data Driven Award reinforces the importance of strong data collection. The Data Driven Award provides both recognition and up to $15,000 of financial support for continued program evaluation.
The winner of the 2025 Data Driven Award is the Fayette County DUI and Veterans Treatment Court under the direction of Judge Jason Thompson and Coordinator Jourdan Crawford. In their application, Fayette County DUI and Veterans Treatment Court expressed their appreciation for how program data can tell the story of how accountability court programs work as demonstrated through examining drug screen results history and studying trends rather than relying on appearances in behavior. The team wanted to increase participation and properly address the apparent need in the community regarding accountability court offerings. They used data to shape the program to better suit participants, and the data led to changes in individual treatment plans and creation of a new Phase 4 to address issues noted, such as the need for mental health services. Additionally, the program continues tracking participants post-graduation for recidivism purposes.
Model Court Recognition
The goal of Georgia’s Accountability Court Model Court program, supported by CACJ, is to recognize the great work of accountability courts across the state, as well as identify strong programs that may serve as mentors for other courts. Programs identified as Model Courts are those that have met and exceeded adherence to Georgia’s Standards as dictated by strong performance on certification and peer review processes.
CACJ is proud to recognize the 2025 Model Courts:
Drug Courts
*Appalachian Judicial Circuit, Judge Brenda Weaver, 23 years in operation
*Carroll County Drug Court, Judge Dustin Hightower, 27 years in operation
*Cherokee Judicial Circuit Drug Court, Judge D. Scott Smith, 17 years in operation
*Colquitt County Drug Court, Judge Brian A. McDaniel, 12 years in operation
*Forsyth County Drug Court, Judge Jeffrey Bagley, 21 years in operation
*Muscogee County Drug Court, Judge Maureen Gottfried, 18 years in operation
*Newton County Drug Court, Judge W. Kendall Wynne, Jr., 12 years in operation
*Rome/Floyd County Drug Court, Judge William F. Sparks, 8 years in operation
*South Enotah Judicial Circuit Drug Court, Judge Raymond George, 22 years in operation
*Western Judicial Circuit Drug Court, Judge Lawton Stephens, 21 years in operation
There are 189 certified accountability court programs in Georgia, and the mission of the CACJ is to provide a unified framework that promotes and improves the quality, accessibility, and administration of accountability courts with a vision to make accountability courts work for all Georgians. Established in 2015, the CACJ fulfills this mission through certification, standards, peer review, data collection, training, treatment fidelity monitoring, and grants.