Editor:
    On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I would like to offer congratulations to our past president, Attorney James B. Franklin of Franklin, Taulbee, Rushing, Snipes & Marsh in Statesboro, who was among the recipients of this year’s Charles L. Weltner Freedom of Information Award, presented by the Georgia First Amendment Foundation.
    This award appropriately honors Attorney Franklin and other members of the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC), which issued an advisory opinion last year declaring that under state law, except for rare circumstances, public access to Georgia courtrooms must be “unfettered and unobstructed.”
    All Georgia lawyers can draw inspiration from the prestigious honor bestowed on Attorney Jimmy Franklin and his fellow members of the JQC, reflecting their ongoing commitment to maintaining open courtrooms and advancing the cause of equal access to justice in our state.
    Sincerely,
Patrise M. Perkins-Hooker
President, State Bar of Georgia