Cara Williams v. Babs Bailey, Clerk
CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
Date FiledAugust 10, 2026
DocketA26O0032
StatusPublished
📰 News Coverage: Read the LAWS.com news report on this case
Full Opinion
Court of Appeals
of the State of Georgia
ATLANTA,____________________
August 10, 2026
The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:
A26O0032. CARA WILLIAMS v. BABS BAILEY, CLERK.
Cara Williams attempted to file a petition for mandamus in Whitfield County
Superior Court against the District Attorney and the Sheriff of Whitfield County, as
well as the Chief of the Dalton Police Department. According to Williams, Babs
Bailey, the Clerk of the Whitfield County Superior Court, refused to file her pleading.
Seeking an order requiring Bailey to file her petition, Williams filed petitions for writ
of mandamus in both this Court and the Georgia Supreme Court.
We dismissed the mandamus petition Williams filed in this Court for lack of
jurisdiction, explaining that she should first attempt to file that petition in the superior
court and obtain a ruling on the same. Williams v. Bailey, Case No. A26O0017 (June
25, 2026). See Arnold v. Alexander, 321 Ga. 330, 335(1) (914 SE2d 311) (2025)
(Georgia’s appellate courts are authorized “to grant a writ of mandamus only in
matters related to an appeal or impending appeal, when necessary in aid of appellate
jurisdiction or to protect or effectuate appellate court judgments.”).
Following entry of our dismissal order, the Georgia Supreme Court transferred
to us the original mandamus petition filed by Williams in that court. Williams v. Bailey,
Case No. S26O1467 (June 30, 2026). The transferred petition was then docketed as
the current case. However, for the reasons set forth in our June 25 order dismissing
Case No. A26O0017, we also lack jurisdiction over the transferred petition.
Accordingly, this petition is hereby DISMISSED.
Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________
08/10/2026
I certify that the above is a true extract from
the minutes of the Court of Appeals of Georgia.
Witness my signature and the seal of said court
hereto affixed the day and year last above written.
, Clerk.