AtlantaCitizensJournal.com

Court cases filed in month of July

The following cases were filed with the Cass County court during the month of July.

 Marriage Licenses

-- Roy Lynn Green and Karol Anne Kelly

-- Harvey Lamar Stephens, Jr. and Jamilia Gabrielle Howard

-- James William White III and Sara Marie Jenks

-- Jared Kent James and Alanna Margaret Elliott

-- Jason Dale Allen and Jennifer Leigh Strange

-- Christopher Colt Amox and Hailee Michelle Golden

-- Wyatt Allan Williams Sr. and Tonya Latrell Allen

-- Tyler Micheal Cleghorn and Sidney Daniell Melton

-- Christopher Jason Everett and Tara Nicole Stroud

-- Tony Monroe Abraham and Andrea Lynnette Oliver

-- Cullen Luke Wise and Amanda Rose Godwin

-- Timothy Shane Spurlin and Jessica Lynn Hill

-- Eric Wayne Bond and Tanya Kay Kirkland

-- Cody Wayne Boles and Cayli Anne Wilson

 

Divorces Filed

-- Donnie Roland Pickard vs. Joanna Durham Pickard

-- Kristen Danielle Boatman vs. James Ryan Boatman

-- Angelian Johnston vs. Michael Hunter Johnston

-- Amber Lawrence Hanson vs. James Neil Hanson

-- Louis Paul Weems vs. Holly Noelani Craigen

-- Kristen Endsley vs. Zachary Endsley

-- Norma Lee Stewart vs. Donny Joe Stewart

-- Zachary Charles Caraway vs. Terri Brown Caraway

-- Russell Derrick McKnight vs. Brandie Charlene McKnight

-- Marion "Bo" Davis vs. LaQuita Faye Davis

-- Carolyn Ann Bradshaw vs. Thomas Earl Fairless

-- Cathy Diane Byers vs. Aaron Lee Sharp

-- Christine Rene’Wagoner vs. David Wayne Wagoner

 

Civil Cases Filed

-- Beneficial Texas, Inc. vs. Sue Peacock, application for order of foreclosure

-- Green Tree Servicing, LLC vs. Willie L. Harper, suit on contract

-- HSBC Bank USA, National Assoc. Trustee for SG Mortgage Securities Trust vs. Pat Nelson and Carroll Nelson, In Re: 20210 Hwy 59 North, Queen City, Texas 75572, foreclosure

-- Linden-Kildare CISD vs. Catherine Conner, ET AL, tax suit

-- Linden-Kildare CISD vs. Ketevious Haskins, ET AL, tax suit

-- Queen City Independent School District vs. Dennie James Duree, ET AL, tax suit

-- Queen City Independent School District vs. Kenyalean Hutchison, tax suit

-- Queen City Independent School District vs. Clyde Ray Stewart ET AL, tax suit

-- American Home Mortgage Services vs. Martha Adams, foreclosure

-- Citifinancial, Inc. vs. Joseph Adan Roquemore and Clemmie Jane Edwards Roquemore, foreclosure

-- Deutsche Bank National Trust Company vs. John T. Hancock and Tami C. Hancock, foreclosure

-- Citibank (South Dakota) N.A. vs. Shaweena Oliver, suit on account

-- Annie J. Kirkpatrick vs. Texas Car-Mart, Inc., DBA Car-Mart of Atlanta, damages

-- Marcus Edward Clay vs. Natosha Ann Sullivan, bill of review

-- Citibank (South Dakota) N.A. vs. Garry Rhoades, suit on account

-- Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. vs. Willard Jester, Rhonda Jester, foreclosure

-- Cass County vs. Clyde Ray Stewart, tax suit

-- The State of Texas vs. property: black 1995 Chevrolet sport utility vehicle- two door, notice of seizure and intent to forfeit

-- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. vs. Jennifer L. Rose and Mack H. Rose, Jr., damages

-- Jack Putman Equipment Sales, a Texas Corporation D/B/A Jack A Putman Construction Company vs. Roy Dwain Plunkett and Lloyd Fletcher, suit on contract

-- Phillip V. Hill vs. Ila M. Hill, protect orders

-- Jennifer Rose vs. Mack H. Rose, Jr., protect orders

-- Joanie Yeager vs. Noble Yeager, protect orders

 

Other Cases Filed

-- In the interest of a child, 13 cases

-- Ex Parte Scotty Don Carlisle, petition for occupational license

-- Ex Parte Joe Robert Stringer, occupational license

-- In Re: Jewel Williams annuitant, application for approval of transfer of structure

AISD trustees OK written policy for offenses

By BRENDA BROWN

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Atlanta ISD trustees approved a written code of conduct that includes harsher penalties for certain infractions. The vote wasn’t unanimous, however, as newcomer John Newkirk voted against the code, saying he would like to see school officials take a tougher stance against drug offenders.

Superintendent Roger Hailey explained the principals from each campus met during the summer to review the district’s disciplinary guidelines and put them in writing to ensure fair treatment is given to all students.

"It doesn’t matter about your name or you ethnicity," Hailey explained. "This grid is a way we can be fair and equitable."

The AISD "Code of Conduct Disciplinary Guidelines" will be included in all student handbooks, which are distributed at the beginning of the school year and must be read and approved in writing by students’ parents.

The "grid" format outlines various "offenses" and their punishments, relative to grade levels, which are grades kindergarten-2; grades 3-5; grades 6-8; and grades 9-12. Offenses range from disruptive behavior and possession of marijuana or other controlled substances to gang-related violence and murder.

Newkirk said trustees weren’t given much time to review the guidelines, which he said were distributed to school board members on Monday, the day before the matter came up on the regular meeting agenda on Tuesday, July 27.

He questioned why students caught with marijuana on campus were given three chances before being expelled for one year.

Hailey said the guidelines presented included more severe punishments for some offenses than AISD has had in the past.

He added the guidelines for punishment for possession marijuana, which Newkirk specifically talked about, were more severe than other area schools.

Students caught with drugs on the middle school and high school campuses, per the new guidelines, will be sent to the Disciplinary Academic Education Program (DAEP, which is located behind the old Miller Grade School near the police station) for 90 days for the first offense; 120 days for the second; and 180 days for the third. The penalties for younger students caught with marijuana and other drugs include 45 days for the first offense; 90 days for the second; and 120 for the third.

By comparison, Texarkana ISD students caught with pot on campus are sent to alternative school for 20 days, Hailey said, adding he and other officials looked at the disciplinary policies of several area schools before making these recommendations.

Hailey and Sidney Harrist, deputy superintendent, said there are generally only one or two marijuana cases each year.

New board member Mark Rinehart, a DPS trooper, at first agreed there should be zero tolerance for drugs on campus, but after more discussion he said officials must also consider they are dealing with teenagers and not adults.

Trustee Lee Stanley said the board must also keep in mind the district’s "objective is to keep students in school and not to throw them on the streets."

Joe Wall said he, too, thought three chances may be too many and said they might consider one chance for some offenses, particularly for those caught selling any kind of drugs on campus.

Hailey said trustees must remember that students caught with drugs at school are taken out of regular classes and placed in the DAEP, so they are not interacting during school hours with other students.

Trustees then asked what the district does if a student is caught committing a crime off campus and Hailey said law enforcement officials deal with them "because we can’t police the whole world."

After considerable discussion, Rinehart said he would go along with the school officials’ recommendations but he understood both sides.

"We must give students the benefit of the doubt since they are teenagers," Rinehart said.

Hailey reminded the board that 180 days is an entire school year, and 90 days is half the school year.

"Ninety days is a big hurdle in front of a young person, but that student has the opportunity to come back (to class)," Hailey said. "However, if they are at an age to where they can drop out (of school), they’re gone."

He also told the board that DAEP teachers do the best they can to teach the courses the disciplined students are taking, but there is no substitution for the regular classroom interaction with other students and teachers certified in their particular subjects.

School board president Joel Steger said he believes in second chances. Stanley agreed, saying, "Problem students will mess up one, two, three times and be gone."

In the end, Rinehart made the motion and Stanley seconded to accept the guidelines as presented.

PER THE GUIDELINES, Step 1 includes a verbal warning and/or written notice; review of the offense;’ conference with the principal/counselor; possible detention assignment; possibly Saturday School assignment; and change of clothing or alter clothing for dress code violations.

Step 2 includes the same punishments, plus a parent conference, loss of technology privileges; corporal punishment (with parental notification); lunch detention; after-school detention; and/or community service.

Step 3 includes all of the above plus possible in-school suspension (ISS), after-school detention or Saturday School, with the number of days assigned dependent upon violations.

Step 4 includes emergency removal of up to three days pending investigation.

Step 5 includes out-of-school suspension of up to three days pending investigation.

Step 6 includes assignment to DAEP.

Step 7 is expulsion to DAEP or, in severe cases, "expulsion without placement in an educational setting."

The guidelines state, "Severity of action, or persistent misbehavior may result in steps 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 without prior steps being taken."

"Disciplinary decisions will be determined by campus administrators, or designee, and any violation of student code of conduct not addressed in these guidelines will be disciplined according to administrative discretion," per the guidelines.

Offenses that merit "mandatory removal to DAEP" include: possession or use of marijuana or other controlled substances, alcohol, volatile chemicals, abusable volatile chemicals, or the possession to sell or distribute marijuana or other controlled substances previously mentioned; public lewdness or indecent exposure; retaliation against a school employee; terroristic threats; assaults against school employees and others; and, "based on conduct occurring off campus and while the student is not in attendance at a school-sponsored or school-related activity for felony offenses in Title 5, Penal Code-TEC 37.006(c)."

Offenses that merit mandatory expulsion include: the use or possession of a firearm, illegal knife, illegal club and prohibited weapon; arson; murder or attempted murder; indecency with a child; aggravated kidnapping; aggravated assaults against school employees and others; felony alcohol violations; aggravated robbery; manslaughter; criminally negligent homicide; and engaging in deadly conduct.

Other lesser offenses addressed in the written guidelines include: truancy; violations of bus rules; minor and major insubordination; cheating, copying and plagiarizing; tardiness; dress code violations; theft; extortion; verbal abuse, profanity or vulgar language and behavior, including obscene gestures; hazing and bullying; and horseplay.

there are seven steps, though not all seven are applicable for all offenses.