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Name:
Nichols, Maris Dever
Date of Booking:
05/08/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
Sexual assault-persons with supervisory or disciplinary authority
Sexual assault-persons with supervisory or disciplinary authority
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:
5/8/26
MARIS NICHOLS ARRESTED AND BOOKED IN DOUGLAS COUNTY
What this means: Maris Dever Nichols was arrested and booked in Douglas County on May 8, 2026, under case number 26PI00722 in the Superior Court of Douglas County. Nichols is accused of sexual assault by a person with supervisory or disciplinary authority. As part of the arrest, a bond was set with conditions — including a restriction prohibiting Nichols from having contact with any minor children except for her own minor daughter.
5/21/26
DEFENSE ATTORNEY FILES ENTRY OF APPEARANCE
What this means: Attorney Christy E. Draper of Christy E. Draper, LLC, based in Douglasville, Georgia, formally notified the Superior Court of Douglas County that she is representing Maris Dever Nichols in case number 26PI00722. This is a standard procedural filing that puts the court and the prosecution on notice that Nichols has legal representation and that all future court communications should be directed to Ms. Draper.
5/21/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE
What this means: Attorney Christy E. Draper filed a motion on behalf of Maris Dever Nichols asking the Superior Court of Douglas County to order prosecutors and all law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation to preserve all evidence in their possession. The motion specifically requests that video footage from Alexander High School from January 1, 2026 through the end of the school year be preserved. This type of motion is filed early in a case to prevent evidence — such as surveillance footage, body camera recordings, witness statements, and investigative notes — from being deleted or destroyed before trial.
5/28/26
RULE NISI ISSUED ON MOTION TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE
What this means: A Rule Nisi was issued in connection with the defense’s Motion to Preserve Evidence in Maris Dever Nichols’s case. A Rule Nisi is a court order that sets a hearing date and directs the opposing party — in this case, the prosecution — to appear and show cause why the relief requested should not be granted. This means a hearing was scheduled so the court could consider whether to formally order the preservation of evidence, including the Alexander High School surveillance footage.
6/4/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION TO MODIFY BOND CONDITIONS
What this means: Attorney Christy E. Draper filed a Motion to Modify Bond Conditions on behalf of Maris Dever Nichols in the Superior Court of Douglas County. The motion states that since her release on bond, Nichols has complied with all bond conditions. The defense is asking the court to modify one specific condition — the no-contact restriction with minors — to allow Nichols to have contact with her biological brother, who is 17 years old. The motion requests that a hearing be scheduled and that the prosecution be required to show cause why the modification should not be granted.
6/4/26
PROPOSED RULE NISI FILED ON MOTION TO MODIFY BOND CONDITIONS
What this means: Along with the Motion to Modify Bond Conditions, the defense submitted a Proposed Rule Nisi — a draft court order asking the judge to schedule a hearing and direct the prosecution to appear and explain why Maris Dever Nichols’s bond conditions should not be modified. If the judge signs the proposed order, it would set the process in motion for a formal hearing on the bond modification request.
6/22/26
DISCOVERY DISCLOSURE FILED
What this means: In the case of Maris Dever Nichols, the prosecution filed a Discovery Disclosure in Douglas Superior Court under case number 26CRU685. Discovery is the formal process by which the prosecution shares evidence it has gathered with the defense. This filing puts the defense on notice of what evidence the state intends to use against Nichols.
6/22/26
STATE FILES NOTICE OF HEARING — MOTION TO REVOKE BOND
What this means: Prosecutors filed a Notice of Hearing in the Douglas Superior Court case against Maris Dever Nichols, signaling that the state has filed a Motion to Revoke Bond. This means the prosecution is asking the court to take away Nichols’s bond and have her held in custody while the case proceeds. A hearing on that motion was scheduled for June 29, 2026.
6/23/26
CO-COUNSEL FILES NOTICE OF APPEARANCE
What this means: Attorney Travis Glahn filed a Notice of Appearance in Douglas Superior Court, formally joining the defense team representing Maris Dever Nichols in case number 26CR00685. Nichols is now represented by both Christy E. Draper and Travis Glahn.
6/24/26
GRAND JURY RETURNS INDICTMENT — 27 COUNTS FILED AGAINST MARIS NICHOLS
What this means: A Douglas County grand jury returned a True Bill of Indictment against Maris Dever Nichols on June 24, 2026, in Douglas Superior Court under case number 26CR00685. Judge Lauren Wallace is presiding, and District Attorney E. Dalia Racine is prosecuting. The grand jury found probable cause to charge Nichols with 27 counts spanning multiple offenses related to alleged sexual contact with minors under her supervisory authority. The charges include multiple counts of Sexual Contact by Employee or Agent in the First Degree, Child Molestation, Cruelty to Children in the First Degree, Sexual Exploitation of Children, Grooming of a Minor, Electronically Furnishing Obscene Material to Minors, Criminal Attempt to Commit Sexual Contact by Employee or Agent in the First Degree, and Criminal Attempt to Commit Tampering with Evidence. A grand jury returning a True Bill means the grand jury determined there was sufficient evidence to require Nichols to stand trial on these charges.
6/29/26
MOTION HEARING SCHEDULED
What this means: A motion hearing in the Douglas Superior Court case against Maris Dever Nichols was scheduled for June 29, 2026, at 9:31 a.m. This hearing was expected to address the state’s Motion to Revoke Bond, among any other pending motions at that time.
8/4/26
ARRAIGNMENT SCHEDULED
What this means: An arraignment hearing for Maris Dever Nichols in Douglas Superior Court case number 26CR00685 is scheduled for August 4, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. At an arraignment, Nichols will be formally informed of the charges against her — the 27 counts returned by the grand jury on June 24, 2026 — and will be asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or nolo contendere (no contest).