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Name:
Taylor, Connie M
Date of Booking:
08/01/2025
Reason(s) For Booking:
Stealing, Altering of Public Documents (Felony)
Stealing, Altering of Public Documents (Felony)
Violation of Oath by Public Officer (Felony)
Violation of Oath by Public Officer (Felony)
Article:
Cobb County Superior Court Clerk indicted on felony charges — Cobb County
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
7/31/25
ORIGINAL INDICTMENT RETURNED BY COBB COUNTY GRAND JURY (CASE NO. 25CR02666)
What this means: A Cobb County grand jury — a group of citizens who reviewed the evidence — formally charged Connie Mae Taylor with four felony counts under case number 25CR02666. The charges included Stealing and Altering Public Documents and Violation of Oath by a Public Officer. At this stage, Connie Mae Taylor is accused of these offenses; no guilt has been determined.
7/31/25
ENTIRE BENCH OF COBB JUDICIAL CIRCUIT RECUSED
What this means: Chief Judge Ann B. Harris issued an order removing every Superior Court judge in the Cobb Judicial Circuit — including senior judges providing routine assistance — from this case. Because Connie Mae Taylor served as the Cobb County Superior Court Clerk, all local judges had a conflict of interest. The order directed the Court Administrator to send the case to the 7th Judicial District Court Administrator so that a judge from outside Cobb County could be assigned to hear the matter. Judge David Emerson was subsequently assigned.
7/31/25
MEDIA EQUIPMENT REQUESTS FILED AND APPROVED FOR COURTROOM 4400
What this means: Three separate media organizations requested permission to bring recording and photography equipment into Courtroom 4400 for proceedings in this case on July 31, 2025. WSB-TV requested a live camera, microphone, tripod, and cell phone. The Marietta Daily Journal requested a handheld still camera and voice recorder. A reporter from ASC requested audio and photo equipment. All three requests were approved by a Superior Court judge of the Cobb Judicial Circuit and were filed in office on 7/31/25.
8/1/25
CONNIE MAE TAYLOR BOOKED AND BAIL BOND EXECUTED
What this means: Connie Mae Taylor was booked into custody on 8/1/25, in connection with the charges under warrant 25-WD-NA23. A bail bond was executed, meaning the defendant secured her release by pledging real property as collateral. The bond covered four felony charges: two counts of Stealing and Altering Public Documents and two counts of Violation of Oath by a Public Officer.
1/29/26
CONNIE MAE TAYLOR RE-INDICTED BY COBB COUNTY GRAND JURY (CASE NO. 26CR00222)
What this means: A Cobb County grand jury returned a new indictment against Connie Mae Taylor — meaning the grand jury brought additional charges and expanded the case. The new case number is 26CR00222. Connie Mae Taylor is now accused of seven felony counts. Count 1 accuses her of directing a Clerk’s Office employee to delete a digital folder titled “Passport” from that employee’s work computer on or about 10/13/22. That folder allegedly contained accounting records documenting the collection, reconciliation, and disbursement of funds related to passport services provided by the Cobb County Superior Court Clerk’s Office. Count 2 accuses the defendant of attempting to have the same employee delete the same folder, taking a substantial step toward that goal. Count 3 accuses Connie Mae Taylor of directing a Clerk’s Office employee to delete a specific email — sent on 10/12/22, at approximately 2:11 p.m. — with the subject line “Expedited Passport Revenue Analysis 2021-2022.” That email allegedly contained an attached financial report prepared by the employee at the direction of Connie Mae Taylor. Count 4 accuses the defendant of attempting to have that same email deleted, taking a substantial step toward doing so. Count 5 accuses Connie Mae Taylor of attempting to cause a Clerk’s Office employee to delete payment records — specifically, records of checks payable to Connie Taylor — from AccuFund, the accounting software used by the Cobb County Superior Court Clerk’s Office, on or about 10/13/22. Counts 6 and 7 accuse Connie Mae Taylor of willfully and intentionally violating the oath of office she took on 12/29/20, as Cobb County Superior Court Clerk, by directing an employee to delete official records the office was legally required to maintain. All seven counts are felonies. The indictment was filed in the Cobb County Superior Court Clerk’s Office on 1/30/26. The grand jury foreperson signed the bill as a true bill on 1/29/26.
2/3/26
STATE OF GEORGIA FILES ADOPTION OF MOTIONS INTO NEW CASE NUMBER
What this means: Deputy Attorney General John Fowler filed a notice on behalf of the State of Georgia formally carrying over all motions previously filed under the original indictment (case no. 25CR02666) into the new indictment (case no. 26CR00222). This is a procedural step that ensures the State does not have to refile every motion from scratch under the new case number.
2/5/26
ORDER SETTING ARRAIGNMENT FOR MARCH 3, 2026
What this means: Judge David Emerson, Senior Judge of Superior Courts presiding in Cobb Superior Court, issued an order scheduling Connie Mae Taylor’s arraignment — the formal court hearing where a defendant is read the charges and enters a plea — for 3/3/26, at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 2000 of the Cobb County Courthouse. The order also gave the defense thirty days from the arraignment date to file motions.
2/27/26
DEFENSE FILES WAIVER OF ARRAIGNMENT
What this means: Attorney Craig Gillen filed a waiver of arraignment on behalf of Connie Mae Taylor, meaning the defendant chose to skip the formal arraignment hearing. This is common in felony cases where the defendant and their attorney are already aware of the charges and want to move the case forward without holding a separate hearing just to read the charges aloud.
3/26/26
ORDER SETTING MOTION HEARING FOR JUNE 24, 2026
What this means: Judge David Emerson issued an order scheduling a motion hearing in case no. 26CR00222 for 6/24/26, at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom 2000 of the Cobb County Courthouse. A motion hearing is a proceeding where the judge rules on legal arguments filed by both sides before any trial takes place.
3/30/26
STATE OF GEORGIA FILES SECOND ADOPTION OF MOTIONS
What this means: Deputy Attorney General John Fowler filed a second adoption of motions on behalf of the State, again formally incorporating all motions from the original indictment (25CR02666) into the new indictment (26CR00222). This filing mirrors the 2/3/26 adoption and ensures the record under the new case number is complete.
4/3/26
DEFENSE FILES NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF FILINGS
What this means: Attorney Roy E. Barnes of The Barnes Law Group, LLC filed a notice on behalf of Connie Mae Taylor formally adopting and incorporating into case no. 26CR00222 all pleas, motions, demurrers, and notices previously filed by the defense under the original indictment (25CR02666). This mirrors what the State did and ensures the defense’s prior legal filings carry over to the new case number.
4/3/26
DEFENSE FILES GENERAL AND SPECIAL DEMURRERS TO BILL OF INDICTMENT AND PLEA IN ABATEMENT
What this means: Attorney Roy E. Barnes filed legal challenges on behalf of Connie Mae Taylor attacking the indictment itself. A demurrer is a formal objection arguing that even if all the facts alleged are true, they do not legally constitute the crimes charged. A plea in abatement is a request to dismiss or delay the case based on a procedural defect — for example, a claim that the grand jury was improperly composed or that the indictment was defective in form. These motions allow the defense to argue that the case should not proceed as currently charged or structured.
4/3/26
DEFENSE FILES OMNIBUS MOTION IN LIMINE
What this means: Attorney Roy E. Barnes filed a motion in limine on behalf of Connie Mae Taylor. This type of motion asks the judge to rule in advance that certain evidence — such as statements.
4/7/26
DEFENSE ATTORNEYS ROY E. BARNES AND JOHN R. BARTHOLOMEW, IV FILE NOTICE OF ENTRIES OF APPEARANCE
What this means: Attorneys Roy E. Barnes and John R. Bartholomew, IV, both of The Barnes Law Group, LLC in Marietta, Georgia, formally notified Cobb County Superior Court that they are representing Connie Mae Taylor in case no. 26CR00222. Filing an entry of appearance is how attorneys officially put the court and the opposing party on record that they are counsel for the defendant.
5/8/26
STATE FILES MOTION TO CONTINUE PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS HEARING — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: On May 8, 2026, the State of Georgia — represented by Deputy Attorney General John Fowler — filed a motion asking Judge David Emerson to postpone the pre-trial motions hearing in Connie Mae Taylor’s case (Case No. 26CR00222) in Cobb County Superior Court. That hearing had been scheduled for June 24, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
The reason for the request: both prosecutors assigned to the Taylor case are also assigned to a separate felony case in Cobb County Superior Court which is set for jury trial on June 22, 2026. In that separate case, speedy trial demands were filed and a scheduling order was issued on May 6, 2026, setting the jury trial for June 22. Under Georgia’s Uniform Rules of Superior Court (Rule 17), criminal felony cases in which a speedy trial demand has been filed automatically take priority over other matters. Because the other trial is set to begin June 22 and is expected to run through at least June 24, the prosecutors would be unavailable for the Taylor pre-trial motions hearing on that same date.
The State asked the court to reschedule the Taylor pre-trial motions hearing and committed to promptly notifying the court if the other matter is continued, resolved, or dismissed before trial.
6/29/26
ORDER SETTING MOTION HEARING — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: The court issued an order specially scheduling a hearing on Connie Mae Taylor’s pre-trial motions for August 3, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Cobb County Superior Court (Case No. 26CR00222). This hearing would address her general and special demurrers, plea in abatement, and other defense motions challenging the indictment.
7/24/26
DEFENDANT FILES SUPPLEMENT TO DEMURRERS AND PLEA IN ABATEMENT — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: Connie Mae Taylor’s defense team filed a supplemental brief on July 24, 2026, in support of her general and special demurrers and plea in abatement in Case No. 25CR02666. The defendant requested oral argument on these demurrers to the indictment at the August 3, 2026 hearing.
8/7/26
COURT DENIES GENERAL AND SPECIAL DEMURRERS AND OTHER DEFENSE MOTIONS — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: Judge David Emerson denied Connie Mae Taylor’s general and special demurrers and other pre-trial defense motions challenging the indictment on August 7, 2026. This means the charges will proceed to trial.
8/7/26
COURT RULES ON DEFENDANT’S MOTIONS IN LIMINE — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: The court issued rulings on Connie Mae Taylor’s motions in limine (requests to exclude certain evidence) on August 7, 2026. The court will allow evidence that the defendant retained expedited passport fees and later repaid that money to Cobb County, but will not permit argument that her original retention of those fees was a criminal act. Regarding the defendant’s fifth motion in limine seeking to exclude hearsay statements, the court will rule on any alleged hearsay evidence as the trial proceeds, based on timely objections from the parties.
8/7/26
COURT DENIES CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE TO GEORGIA LAW — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: Connie Mae Taylor challenged the constitutionality of O.C.G.A. § 45-11-1 (the statute governing violations of oath by public officers). The court denied that constitutional challenge on August 7, 2026, allowing the charges under that statute to proceed.
8/12/26
DEFENDANT FILES MOTION FOR CERTIFICATE OF IMMEDIATE REVIEW — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: On August 12, 2026, Connie Mae Taylor filed a motion for a certificate of immediate review in Cobb County Superior Court. This motion asks the court to certify certain interlocutory (pre-trial) rulings for immediate appeal to a higher court, typically because the defendant believes those rulings involve significant legal questions that should be reviewed before trial proceeds.
8/14/26
STATE FILES OPPOSITION TO MOTION FOR CERTIFICATE OF IMMEDIATE REVIEW — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: On August 14, 2026, the State of Georgia filed a written opposition to Connie Mae Taylor’s motion for a certificate of immediate review, arguing against certification of the pre-trial rulings for immediate appeal.
8/14/26
COURT DENIES MOTION FOR CERTIFICATE OF IMMEDIATE REVIEW — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: Judge David Emerson denied Connie Mae Taylor’s motion for a certificate of immediate review on August 14, 2026. This means the pre-trial rulings will not be certified for immediate appeal, and the case will proceed to trial.
8/25/26
JURY TRIAL SCHEDULED FOR 1/11/27 — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: The court issued an order on August 25, 2026, specially setting Connie Mae Taylor’s jury trial for January 11, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. in Cobb County Superior Court (Case No. 26CR00222). This is the date the case will proceed to trial before a jury.
1/11/27
JURY TRIAL SCHEDULED FOR 1/11/27 — STATE V. CONNIE MAE TAYLOR
What this means: Connie Mae Taylor’s jury trial in Cobb County Superior Court (Case No. 26CR00222) is scheduled for January 11, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. At this trial, a jury will hear evidence on the charges of stealing and altering public documents and violation of oath by public officer, and will determine whether Connie Mae Taylor is guilty or not guilty of those charges.