Savannah Arbitrator, Mediator and Judge for the Georgia Juvenile Courts
Patricia Stone has extensive experience resolving disputes involving personal injury, construction, medical malpractice, wrongful death, as well as corporate and domestic litigation matters including divorce and child custody. She is a registered neutral with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution.
Ms. Stone served as juvenile court judge with the Chatham County Juvenile Court of the Eastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia from 2003 to 2015 and was appointed a Senior Juvenile Court Judge by Governor Nathan Deal in 2015.
Extensive Experience with People In Crisis
Ms. Stone’s experience as a Senior Judge in the Juvenile Court gives her a unique capacity to arbitrate cases that would overwhelm others. She has worked with people in crisis and people in unusual and emotional situations. She knows how to ask the questions that clarify underlying issues and is intimately familiar with the court process. Her long legal career has made her proficient at working with lawyers advocating divergent positions.
Divorce Mediator and Domestic Mediation
As a practicing family law attorney with significant experience in the Juvenile Court Ms. Stone a unique capacity to understand domestic disputes and offer unbiased mediation for sensitive divorce issues. Her extensive experience in juvenile law gives her authority in guiding couples on difficult issues like child custody. The following is partial list of Ms. Stone’s achievements in Juvenile Law in Georgia:
- Presided over all aspects of Juvenile Law including the following
- Dependency
- Delinquency
- Children in Need of Services (CHINS)
- Traffic
- Terminations of Guardianships
- Programs created by Ms. Stone for children and families include
- Chatham County Family Dependency Treatment Court (FDTC)
(Nationally Recognized) - Future Focus
- Girls Enriched and Responsibly Living (GERL)
- Chatham County Family Dependency Treatment Court (FDTC)
Arbitrator for Corporate and Construction Disputes
Ms. Stone got first hand experience with construction issues during her time as Senior Juvenile Court Judge. She was responsible for negotiations with vendors and oversight of new architectural plans for the Juvenile Court renovation. She was also responsible for the institution’s budget and supervision for more than 50 employees. Her first hand experience overseeing a large enterprise like the Juvenile Court gives her insight into the nuances of management and the work required for construction projects.
From Neutral to Neutral in Savannah, GA
Ms. Stone is esteemed for her ability to listen to opposing sides and understand complex issues. Her ability to listen and understand opposing sides enables her to reframe and facilitate positive communication so that parties themselves can make their own decisions.
Ms. Stone created and presided over the Chatham County Family Dependency Treatment Court. This court received awards from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, NPC Research, and television station WJCL. It was recognized as a Model Peer Learning Court and is considered one of the top 5 programs nationwide.
Awards for Leadership and Excellence
- Georgia Senate Resolution 59 for leadership and outstanding service to the community of Chatham County,
Savannah-Chatham Day, Atlanta, Georgia, January 29, 2015. - National Award of Excellence by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and Children and Family Futures. Chatham County Family Dependency Treatment Court named as Model Peer Learning Court and one of top 5 programs in the United States for three consecutive years, 2012 – 2015.
- Georgia Top Performer Award for Family Dependency Treatment Court from NPC Research, 2012.
- Georgia Leadership Award for demonstrating outstanding vision for change and leadership, Georgia Child Placement Conference, 2009.
- WJCL’s Champion for Change for Family Dependency Treatment Court, 2009.
Available for Arbitration in Savannah and Surrounding Counties
The law offices of Stone & Sullivan serve residents in Chatham County and surrounding counties including Bryan County, Effingham County, Liberty County, Tattnall County and Bulloch County.