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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.
6/25/26
MARIS NICHOLS SURRENDERS — HELD WITHOUT BOND
What this means: Maris Dever Nichols turned herself in to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on June 25, 2026, following the issuance of a Grand Jury Arrest Warrant tied to the 27-count indictment returned on June 24, 2026. She appeared before the Magistrate Court of Douglas County, but because an indictment had already been issued, the Magistrate Court no longer had jurisdiction to set bond. Under O.C.G.A. § 17-6-1, the charges against Nichols require that bond be addressed by a Superior Court judge. The Magistrate Court issued an order holding Nichols without bond until a Superior Court judge could set bond or designate otherwise. Nichols has remained incarcerated since that date.
6/26/26
STATE FILES DISCOVERY DISCLOSURE
What this means: On June 26, 2026, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Tornear’e M. Wiggins filed a Discovery Disclosure on behalf of the State in Douglas Superior Court case number 26CR00685. The disclosure was served digitally on defense attorney Christy Elaine Draper of Christy E. Draper LLC. Discovery is the formal process by which the prosecution shares its evidence with the defense team representing Maris Dever Nichols.
6/26/26
DEFENSE FILES RESPONSE TO DISCOVERY
What this means: On June 26, 2026, attorney Christy E. Draper filed a Response to Discovery on behalf of Maris Dever Nichols in Douglas Superior Court case number 26CR00685. The defense identified potential evidence it may use, including weekly emails to Talitrix. The defense also noted that any documents and materials provided by the State may be used by Nichols as well, and reserved the right to amend the response at a later time.
6/26/26
STATE FILES MOTION TO QUASH SUBPOENA AND MOTION FOR PROTECTIVE ORDER
What this means: On June 26, 2026, the State filed a Motion to Quash Subpoena for the Production of Evidence and a Motion for Protective Order in Douglas Superior Court case number 26CR00685. A motion to quash asks the court to invalidate or cancel a subpoena — a legal demand for evidence — that the State believes was improperly issued or seeks materials it should not be required to produce. The accompanying Motion for Protective Order asks the court to restrict how certain information or evidence may be used or disclosed during the case.
6/26/26
STATE FILES MOTION TO REDACT JUVENILE VICTIM INFORMATION
What this means: On June 26, 2026, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Kelsey Smith filed a Motion to Redact Juvenile Victim Information from Publicly Accessible Documents in the Clerk’s File in Douglas Superior Court case number 26CR00685 on behalf of the State. This motion asks the court to remove or obscure identifying information about any juvenile victims from documents that are available to the public, in order to protect the privacy of minors involved in the case against Maris Dever Nichols.
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.
6/29/26
MOTION HEARING HELD
What this means: A motion hearing was held in Douglas Superior Court on June 29, 2026, at 9:31 a.m. in the case of Maris Dever Nichols, case number 26CR00685. This hearing was scheduled to address the state’s Motion to Revoke Bond, among other pending motions at that time.
6/30/26
COURT ORDERS REDACTION OF JUVENILE VICTIM INFORMATION
What this means: The Douglas Superior Court granted the State’s motion and issued an Order to Redact Juvenile Victim Information from Publicly Accessible Documents in the Clerk’s File in case number 26CR00685. This means the court directed that identifying information about any juvenile victims in the case against Maris Dever Nichols be removed from documents accessible to the general public.
6/30/26
DEFENSE FILES WAIVER OF FORMAL ARRAIGNMENT — NOT GUILTY PLEA ENTERED
What this means: On June 30, 2026, attorneys Christy E. Draper and Travis M. Glahn filed a Waiver of Formal Arraignment on behalf of Maris Dever Nichols in Douglas Superior Court case number 26CR00685. By filing this waiver, Nichols gave up her right to appear in court for a formal arraignment hearing. In the same document, Nichols entered a plea of Not Guilty to all charges and asserted her constitutional right to a trial by jury under the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Georgia Constitution. Because this waiver was filed, the arraignment that had been scheduled for August 4, 2026, is no longer necessary.
6/30/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION FOR BOND
What this means: Attorney Christy E. Draper filed a Motion for Bond on behalf of Maris Dever Nichols in Douglas Superior Court case number 26CR00685, asking the court to set a bond so Nichols can be released from custody while her case proceeds. The motion outlines Nichols’s prior bond history: she first turned herself in on May 8, 2026, and was granted a $40,000 bond by Associate Magistrate Judge Tami Dunlap, with a condition requiring her to wear a Talitrix GPS tracking device. She turned herself in a second time on May 21, 2026, and was granted a $74,000 bond by Chief Magistrate Judge Zaine Hedge, again with a Talitrix GPS tracking device requirement and additional special conditions. Following the June 24, 2026 indictment, Nichols surrendered a third time on June 25, 2026, and has been held without bond since. The defense argues that Nichols has complied with all prior bond conditions, has no prior criminal history, has strong ties to the Douglas County community where she has lived her entire life, is not a flight risk, and does not pose a danger to the community. The motion requests that the court schedule a hearing and require the State to show cause why bond should not be granted.
6/30/26
RULE NISI ISSUED — BOND HEARING SET FOR 8/10/26
What this means: Following the defense’s Motion for Bond, the court issued a Rule Nisi scheduling a bond hearing for August 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Douglas Superior Court case number 26CR00685. 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 the State will have the opportunity to argue against bond being set for Maris Dever Nichols.
6/30/26
DEFENSE FILES CONSOLIDATED MOTIONS AND DEMANDS
What this means: Attorney Christy E. Draper filed Consolidated Motions and Demands on behalf of Maris Dever Nichols in Douglas Superior Court case number 26CR00685. This is a standard defense filing that bundles together multiple pretrial motions and formal demands — such as demands for evidence, witness lists, and other disclosures — into a single document submitted to the court.
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).
8/10/26
MOTION HEARING SCHEDULED — DEFENSE MOTION FOR BOND
What this means: A hearing is scheduled for August 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Douglas Superior Court to address the defense’s Motion for Bond on behalf of Maris Dever Nichols in case number 26CR00685. At this hearing, the court will consider whether to release Nichols from custody pending trial. The State will have the opportunity to argue against bond, and the defense will present arguments in support of release, citing factors such as Nichols’s prior compliance with bond conditions, clean criminal history, strong community ties, and lack of flight risk.