Polk County’s Superior Court Clerk was given recognition for her efforts to ensure a smooth transition back to jury trials following a year-long stop to normal court procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.

Superior Court Clerk Stacie Baines was awarded during a ceremony on Friday for her efforts to help the court get back up and running following the cessation of the judicial emergency put in place locally and by the Georgia Supreme Court Chief Judge Harold Melton when the pandemic first took hold in March 2020.

Starting earlier in the month with the first jury assembly, regular court work got back in order and Polk County’s half of the Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court began hearing cases once again with the help of Senior Judges taking on case work, and the use of the Commissioner’s Meeting Room at the Polk County Police Department as a courtroom space as well.

For her efforts in organizing all this work, Judge Murphy provided Baines with an award.

She was appreciative of the support shown by Judge Murphy for her efforts and that of her staff, who she said deserves much of the credit for their hard work to pull together the necessary organization to get courts back up and running.

“It was an honor to get unexpected recognition from Judge Murphy at the conclusion of the two-week trial period,” Baines said. “I have an awesome staff that works behind the scene. I want to thank them for their hard work not only to get court up and running but also for all the work they put in during the pandemic in an effort to keep the clerk’s office operating efficiently under difficult circumstances.”