For Immediate Release
Contact: Public Relations 404-969-4001

Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Coweta County Prosecutors Train New Generation

The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia (PAC) presented its annual Basic Litigation Training Course from June 23-29, 2007 in Forsyth, Georgia at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC). Fifty-three newly hired prosecutors from across the state participated in an intensive six-day seminar. The course is devoted to in-depth lecture sessions as well as workshops that give prosecutors with little or no courtroom experience an opportunity
to hone their skills.

Coweta County District Attorney Pete Skandalakis has served as Chairman for the event for six years.

“My colleagues have bestowed a tremendous honor upon me by allowing me to Chair the Basic Litigation Course,” said Skandalakis. “The Course provides me with an opportunity, on behalf of the District Attorneys and Solicitors General, to instill upon young prosecutors the expectations we require and demand of them as representatives of the public trust. And what we require of them is that they represent, at all times, the people of this State with dignity, honor, professionalism and with a compelling adherence to the professional rules of conduct and our ethical responsibilities. Our mission at Basic Litigation is to teach prosecutors to aggressively pursue the interests of justice through honor, trustworthiness and by developing lasting credibility with the public.”

“And I do believe in giving back to the profession that has treated me so well,” said Skandalakis. “The Good Lord blessed me with the talents that make me a good prosecutor, He surrounded me with some outstanding colleagues and mentors who have had a positive influence on my career, and this is my opportunity to share what I have been given and have learned with others.”

Skandalakis received his Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia in 1984 and immediately joined the District Attorney’s Office in the Coweta Judicial Circuit. Skandalakis said his intent was to stay for two years, learn to be a litigator and head out into private practice. But things changed. “When that two year stint was up, I could not leave,” said Skandalakis. “I loved my job and looked forward to going to work each day. And now, nearly 23 years later, I still have the same drive, desire and enthusiasm for my job as I did in 1984. This is a great job in which we directly serve the public and all that is demanded of us is that we do the right thing and serve the interests of justice.” Skandalakis was elected District Attorney in 1992 and is in his fourth term of office.

Faculty members selected to participate in Basic Litigation Training use their experiences to assist with training and educating new prosecutors by placing a significant emphasis on the development of “Theory” and “Theme” based prosecution. “We look for career prosecutors who are leaders, have demonstrated and proven their abilities in the courtroom, are experienced and have a strong desire to teach younger prosecutors,” said Skandalakis. And, with a faculty to student ratio of nearly 1-to-1, the Basic Litigation Course conducted in Georgia continues to be one of the most effective courses of its kind.

Raymond C. Mayer, Assistant District Attorney for the Coweta Judicial Circuit, was selected as a faculty member for this year’s training. Mayer has been an Assistant DA for seven years in the Coweta County DA’s office. “I am involved because I think the course is essential to bridging the gap from the theory taught in law school to actually being a lawyer in a courtroom, where the stakes often are high. I feel I have a responsibility to help train the new generation,” said Mayer. Mayer graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina in 1974 and from law school at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia in 1982. He has spent 25 years in practice, including more than 11 years in prosecution.

During the week-long training, instructors emphasized legal subjects such as: opening statements, direct examination, introduction of evidence, use of demonstrative aids, cross examination and impeachment, hearsay, motions, similar transactions and character evidence, expert witness, and closing arguments. The course culminated in a mock trial conducted in front of a volunteer jury.

“Students learn the nuts and bolts of the basics of prosecution and trial, something avoided in traditional law school education,” said Mayer. “Law schools avoid such training except for elective trial clinics and even they rarely provide training for being a prosecutor. I have seen many sharp young prosecutors, but not a one of them capable of trying a case until they participate in Basic Litigation Training. The course opens their eyes to all they don’t know about trial work,” said Mayer. “I found that, in the beginning, students were clueless as to how to perform their jobs, but bright and enthusiastic. By week’s end, however, almost all have improved impressively,” said Mayer.

“The course provides young prosecutors with the basic tools that they will need to present a case to a judge and/or jury,” said Skandalakis. “Obviously we cannot, in one week, teach the students everything they will experience in presenting a case in court, but we can, and do, provide them with a solid foundation upon which to build. Students are given first-class lectures, an excellent resource manual, and the opportunity to practice trial presentations and techniques before skilled, experienced prosecutors who help the students refine their trial strategies, trial techniques and presentation of a case. With a one-to-one ratio of faculty to students, young prosecutors are able to receive individual attention from some of the best prosecutors in the state,” said Skandalakis.

“The most rewarding aspect of being on the faculty as Basic Litigation Training is to see that dramatic improvement over the course of the week,” said Mayer. “It is a grueling week of training for the students, preceded by weeks of intense preparation just to get to Basic. Basic Litigation Training provides more development than months of undirected hands-on experience would. On the job training is a ‘hit or miss’ situation, depending on the skills, experience and workload of senior prosecutors and their willingness to effectively devote time and energy to train the younger prosecutors. Almost all senior prosecutors have a difficult workload (caseload and extra duties) to manage. Adding training makes it that much more difficult. Certainly none of them have the time to devote to training that is provided at Basic,” said Mayer.

“I consider our course to be one of the best, if not the best, in the nation,” said Skandalakis. “And the reason ours is such an outstanding course is because of the people involved. When you bring such an outstanding group of people together for a common purpose then good things are bound to happen, and they do. I am proud to be a part of a team that seeks to put our mark on the next generation of prosecutors. Our goals are simple: to develop and maintain a prosecution community that seeks to serve justice with a strong emphasis on professionalism, ethics and honor,” said Skandalakis. “I can not think of any better way to serve the public and give back to the community the blessings that God has bestowed upon me.”

The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia presents its Basic Litigation Training Course to new prosecutors every June.