PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE JUVENILE COURT OF C
Details
7/29/2026
Ad
Ad Text
PUBLIC NOTICE
IN THE JUVENILE COURT OF CRISP COUNTY
STATE OF GEORGIA
IN THE INTEREST OF:
J. S., a child
CASE NUMBER: 040-24J-225
DOB: 03/20/2011 SEX: F
TO: ASHLEY SMITH, natural mother of the above-named child.
JUSTIN FIELDS, putative father of the above-named child.
SUMMONS AND NOTICE
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 15-11-241, on July 23, 2026, a petition for permanent guardianship has been filed in the above-styled matter alleging the above-named child to be in need of the appointment of a permanent guardian, and VALENCIA HAMILTON has been named as the proposed permanent guardian for the child and is the individual who will be the child’s permanent guardian if the petition is granted.
THIS IS A SUMMONS REQUIRING YOU TO BE IN COURT. If you fail to come to court as required you may be held in contempt of court and punished by imprisonment for up to twenty (20) days and/or a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).
NOW THEREFORE, unless otherwise ordered by this court, you, the party(s) named above, are hereby ORDERED and COMMANDED to be and appear on the date and time stated below, and to remain in attendance from hour to hour, day to day, month to month, year to year, and time to time, as said case may be continued, and until discharged by the court, and you are commanded to lay any and all business aside and to be and appear before the Juvenile Court of Crisp County, Georgia, located at The Crisp County Courthouse, 510 North 7th Street, Cordele, Crisp County, Georgia 31015 on the 9th day of September, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.., to answer the allegations of the aforementioned petition and to show cause why the above-named child(ren) and all parties named herein shall not be dealt with according to law. Any parent, guardian, legal custodian or any other person having physical custody or control of the above-named child(ren) is hereby commanded to ensure the above-named child(ren)’s presence in likewise manner at said date, time and place.
If you are served with this summons by publication as provided by law, you are likewise required to appear before this court at the above-stated date, time, and place to answer the allegations of the petition. A copy of the petition may be obtained at the office of the Clerk of the Juvenile Court of Crisp County, Georgia, located at 510 North 7th Street, Cordele, Crisp County, Georgia 31015.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that you should immediately review EXHIBIT A attached hereto for a full explanation of your right to an attorney at all stages of these proceedings.
WITNESS the Kristen W. Pack, Judge of said Court, this 23rd day of July, 2026.
/s/TARA HAYSLIP
TARA HAYSLIP, Clerk
Juvenile Court of CRISP County, Georgia
READ CAREFULLY
The child(ren) involved in this proceeding shall be represented by an attorney at all stages of these proceedings, and the court will appoint an attorney to represent the child(ren) as soon as possible.
All other parties to these proceedings are entitled to be represented by an attorney at all stages of these proceedings. If you want an attorney, you may choose and hire your own attorney. If you want to hire an attorney, please contact your attorney immediately. If you want an attorney but are not able to hire an attorney without undue financial hardship, you may ask for an attorney to be appointed to represent you. The Court would inquire into your financial circumstances and if the Court finds you to be indigent (financially unable to hire an attorney), then an attorney will be appointed to represent you. If you want an attorney appointed to represent you, please let the Court or the Clerk of the Juvenile Court know that you want an attorney immediately so that you may make application for court appointed counsel at the earliest possible time.
EXHIBIT A
RIGHT TO COUNSEL
1. The child(ren) involved in this proceeding shall be represented by an attorney at all stages of these proceedings, and the court will appoint an attorney to represent the child(ren) as soon as possible.
2. All other parties to these proceedings are entitled to be represented by an attorney at all stages of these proceedings.
3. If you want an attorney, you may choose and hire your own attorney. If you want to hire an attorney, please contact your attorney immediately.
4. If you want an attorney but are not able to hire an attorney without undue financial hardship, you may ask for an attorney to be appointed to represent you.
a. If you request appointed counsel, the Court will inquire into your financial circumstances to determine if you qualify as indigent under the terms this state proscribes. If the Court finds you to be indigent (unable to hire an attorney without undue financial hardship), then an attorney will be appointed to represent you at no charge to you.
b. If you would like to apply for court-appointed counsel, you must do so within 72 hours of your receipt of this notice, but in no event later than forty-eight hours prior to your scheduled hearing. You may obtain an application for appointment of indigent counsel by contacting the Office of the Judge of the Juvenile Courts of the Cordele Judicial Circuit at 229-271-4727. Should you desire to seek appointment of counsel, it is imperative that you do so timely. FAILURE TO TIMELY APPLY FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL MAY RESULT IN YOUR WAIVER OF YOUR RIGHT TO HAVE APPOINTED COUNSEL REPRESENT YOU DURING ANY PARTICULAR HEARING.
5. You are not mandated to be represented by counsel in any proceeding, and you may waive your right to counsel and proceed pro se (on your own, without an attorney) during any proceeding. Please be aware, however, that there are a number of dangers of proceeding without counsel in any proceeding. For instance, if you intend on appealing any ruling of this court that has to be done properly, and an attorney could help you with doing that if you had an attorney. There are many other ways that an attorney might assist you in your case if you have an attorney, but you do not have to have an attorney, and it is your right to waive your right to an attorney and participate in your proceedings without the benefit of counsel. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT FAILING TO TIMELY HIRE COUNSEL OR APPLY FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL MAY RESULT IN YOUR WAIVER OF YOUR RIGHT TO COUNSEL. In that case, you may be required to participate in the proceedings without the benefit of counsel.
Cordele Dispatch:
July 29 and Aug. 5, 2026
040-24J-225
IN THE JUVENILE COURT OF CRISP COUNTY
STATE OF GEORGIA
IN THE INTEREST OF:
J. S., a child
CASE NUMBER: 040-24J-225
DOB: 03/20/2011 SEX: F
TO: ASHLEY SMITH, natural mother of the above-named child.
JUSTIN FIELDS, putative father of the above-named child.
SUMMONS AND NOTICE
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 15-11-241, on July 23, 2026, a petition for permanent guardianship has been filed in the above-styled matter alleging the above-named child to be in need of the appointment of a permanent guardian, and VALENCIA HAMILTON has been named as the proposed permanent guardian for the child and is the individual who will be the child’s permanent guardian if the petition is granted.
THIS IS A SUMMONS REQUIRING YOU TO BE IN COURT. If you fail to come to court as required you may be held in contempt of court and punished by imprisonment for up to twenty (20) days and/or a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).
NOW THEREFORE, unless otherwise ordered by this court, you, the party(s) named above, are hereby ORDERED and COMMANDED to be and appear on the date and time stated below, and to remain in attendance from hour to hour, day to day, month to month, year to year, and time to time, as said case may be continued, and until discharged by the court, and you are commanded to lay any and all business aside and to be and appear before the Juvenile Court of Crisp County, Georgia, located at The Crisp County Courthouse, 510 North 7th Street, Cordele, Crisp County, Georgia 31015 on the 9th day of September, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.., to answer the allegations of the aforementioned petition and to show cause why the above-named child(ren) and all parties named herein shall not be dealt with according to law. Any parent, guardian, legal custodian or any other person having physical custody or control of the above-named child(ren) is hereby commanded to ensure the above-named child(ren)’s presence in likewise manner at said date, time and place.
If you are served with this summons by publication as provided by law, you are likewise required to appear before this court at the above-stated date, time, and place to answer the allegations of the petition. A copy of the petition may be obtained at the office of the Clerk of the Juvenile Court of Crisp County, Georgia, located at 510 North 7th Street, Cordele, Crisp County, Georgia 31015.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that you should immediately review EXHIBIT A attached hereto for a full explanation of your right to an attorney at all stages of these proceedings.
WITNESS the Kristen W. Pack, Judge of said Court, this 23rd day of July, 2026.
/s/TARA HAYSLIP
TARA HAYSLIP, Clerk
Juvenile Court of CRISP County, Georgia
READ CAREFULLY
The child(ren) involved in this proceeding shall be represented by an attorney at all stages of these proceedings, and the court will appoint an attorney to represent the child(ren) as soon as possible.
All other parties to these proceedings are entitled to be represented by an attorney at all stages of these proceedings. If you want an attorney, you may choose and hire your own attorney. If you want to hire an attorney, please contact your attorney immediately. If you want an attorney but are not able to hire an attorney without undue financial hardship, you may ask for an attorney to be appointed to represent you. The Court would inquire into your financial circumstances and if the Court finds you to be indigent (financially unable to hire an attorney), then an attorney will be appointed to represent you. If you want an attorney appointed to represent you, please let the Court or the Clerk of the Juvenile Court know that you want an attorney immediately so that you may make application for court appointed counsel at the earliest possible time.
EXHIBIT A
RIGHT TO COUNSEL
1. The child(ren) involved in this proceeding shall be represented by an attorney at all stages of these proceedings, and the court will appoint an attorney to represent the child(ren) as soon as possible.
2. All other parties to these proceedings are entitled to be represented by an attorney at all stages of these proceedings.
3. If you want an attorney, you may choose and hire your own attorney. If you want to hire an attorney, please contact your attorney immediately.
4. If you want an attorney but are not able to hire an attorney without undue financial hardship, you may ask for an attorney to be appointed to represent you.
a. If you request appointed counsel, the Court will inquire into your financial circumstances to determine if you qualify as indigent under the terms this state proscribes. If the Court finds you to be indigent (unable to hire an attorney without undue financial hardship), then an attorney will be appointed to represent you at no charge to you.
b. If you would like to apply for court-appointed counsel, you must do so within 72 hours of your receipt of this notice, but in no event later than forty-eight hours prior to your scheduled hearing. You may obtain an application for appointment of indigent counsel by contacting the Office of the Judge of the Juvenile Courts of the Cordele Judicial Circuit at 229-271-4727. Should you desire to seek appointment of counsel, it is imperative that you do so timely. FAILURE TO TIMELY APPLY FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL MAY RESULT IN YOUR WAIVER OF YOUR RIGHT TO HAVE APPOINTED COUNSEL REPRESENT YOU DURING ANY PARTICULAR HEARING.
5. You are not mandated to be represented by counsel in any proceeding, and you may waive your right to counsel and proceed pro se (on your own, without an attorney) during any proceeding. Please be aware, however, that there are a number of dangers of proceeding without counsel in any proceeding. For instance, if you intend on appealing any ruling of this court that has to be done properly, and an attorney could help you with doing that if you had an attorney. There are many other ways that an attorney might assist you in your case if you have an attorney, but you do not have to have an attorney, and it is your right to waive your right to an attorney and participate in your proceedings without the benefit of counsel. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT FAILING TO TIMELY HIRE COUNSEL OR APPLY FOR APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL MAY RESULT IN YOUR WAIVER OF YOUR RIGHT TO COUNSEL. In that case, you may be required to participate in the proceedings without the benefit of counsel.
Cordele Dispatch:
July 29 and Aug. 5, 2026
040-24J-225