Henry County’s Silent Digital Innovation, Evolution Led By Clerk Sabriya Hill

By: Dominique Huff

When one thinks of the Clerk of Superior Court ‘s Office, it can be overshadowed by the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office, or Solicitor General’s Office, as those are more public-facing. However, the Clerk of Superior Court is a bridge leading to agencies for the stakeholders that are involved. 

Sabriya Hill, a former law enforcement officer who started with the Henry County Police Department and ended up as a Lieutenant with the Clayton County Police Department, so not being a stranger to the Southern Crescent, wanted to leave a bigger impact on the region. 

“I’m just a normal person,” she said. “I remember looking at what I could do with my background, talents and skills and looking at the Clerk of Superior Court, it was a perfect fit.” 

In her second term, Hill’s accomplishments have been quiet but notable. 

She has updated the jury management system, digitized all superior court records dating back to 1823, and is advocating for an increase in juror pay. 

Jury Duty is something that most dread and do not look forward to. From having to take off from work for little pay, to courthouse parking and sitting in an uncomfortable jury room. While important to the civil and criminal justice process, Hill says juror pay is set by the state at a minimum of $5 per day, and maximum of $50 per day. 

“Henry County pays jurors $25, and grand jurors $35 per day.  I am working with the Clerk of State Court to raise that pay to the state maximum.  We have done our homework, and metro Atlanta counties pay the state maximum.  The decision will ultimately require approval by the Henry County Board of Commissioners, but we have received a recommendation for the grand jury to raise the pay. 

In addition, Hill adds that she has made the jury pool rooms more comfortable for jurors and working on making more information transparent and available to them from explaining the jury selection process to assisting them in navigating the courthouse. 

“I recognize our courthouse is old and while a new facility is down the road, we have to make this ideal for us to work in. We plan to implement geofencing technology to help with the check in process and to direct jurors where they need to be.  We will use text messaging and email services to deliver juror reporting instructions, and to provide jurors with information they need to know,” she said. “We are also outsourcing the mailing of our jury summonses.  The process of mailing notices and reminder notices will be completed by a company instead of using our skeletal staff, so our staff can focus on other jury management responsibilities.”

As more courts are using and embracing technology, Hill has provided access to superior court records that go beyond 2000 and extend to 1823. The current process of having staff to retrieve and search older records is draconian, time consuming, and not people friendly on either end of the spectrum.

“We retained a vendor to come in and digitize all the records so they can be retrieved online without a visit to the courthouse,” she said. “This is not only good for customer service but for record keeping purposes, so items are not lost, destroyed or damaged while sitting in a crowded room in less than favorable conditions.”

While these concepts are exciting, Hill looks at it as government is catching up with technology, specifically for the record-keeping of the administration of justice. 

“We are digital in so many aspects of our daily lives, why not apply this to governmental operations as well,” she said. “The citizens deserve this.  We are a growing county; therefore, we must advance for not only today’s needs but for the needs of the future, by building and growing a more efficient organization.” 

Henry County Clerk of Superior Courts Sabriya Hill: Improving The Jury Duty Process & Digital Data Record Keeping