What Judges Really Think: With Guest Judge David Lyles | Lawyers Without Billboards

What Judges Really Think: With Guest Judge David Lyles | Lawyers Without Billboards - Ep 22

3d ago 40:46

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What happens when a former prosecutor becomes a judge - and decides to launch a mental health accountability court? Or when someone shows up to court in shorts and flip-flops?

In this candid and often hilarious episode of Lawyers Without Billboards, the Shewmaker & Lewis team welcomes their first-ever guest judge: the Honorable David Lyles of Paulding County. Judge Lyles opens up about the real challenges facing Georgia courts, from mental health evaluations to courtroom fashion violations.

👨‍⚖️ It’s part practical advice, part courtroom confessional—with a few dogs, binders, and seersucker suits thrown in for good measure.

🎙️ Hosts: Steve Shewmaker, Patty Shewmaker, Jimmy Lewis, Alexa Lewis
🦸 Guest: Judge David Lyles, Superior Court Judge, Paulding County

👨‍⚖️ Hosted by Shewmaker & Lewis — Atlanta attorneys helping families navigate divorce, custody, and criminal defense. No billboards. No BS.

🔍 You’ll Learn:

What accountability courts actually do—and why they matter
Why most mentally ill inmates are stuck in limbo
The strange logic behind Paulding County’s black pants closet
What happens if you show up to court in shorts or flip-flops
How judges really feel about fake crying on the stand
The rules of evidence too many civil lawyers ignore
Why Judge Lyles loves binders (and his clerk hates them)
How he really feels about Zoom court and courtroom microphones
Why he prefers “Your Honor”—but won’t hold it against you

📌 Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome & Intro
01:22 – Meet Judge David Lyles
03:31 – What Are Accountability Courts?
05:11 – Mental Illness & Georgia’s Jail Crisis
06:57 – Resistance from Law Enforcement and Defendants
08:13 – The Long Game: Breaking the Jail Cycle
08:47 – Yes, There’s a Pants Closet
10:05 – Shorts in Court? Not a Good Look
12:21 – Women’s Court Attire: A Delicate Topic
13:13 – How Judge Lyles Handles Attorney Dress Code
14:45 – Form vs Function in the Courtroom
16:04 – “Your Honor” vs “Judge” – What’s in a Name?
17:35 – Why Zoom Court Can Be a Problem
19:45 – Courtroom Layout Challenges
21:04 – When Zoom Makes Sense (and When It Doesn’t)
22:24 – Pet Peeves: Evidence Handling & Binder Battles
26:52 – The Dog in the Parking Lot Custody Test
30:02 – Summarizing Financials the Right Way
32:16 – Don’t Lie—Especially Not to Judge Lyles
34:31 – Emotions, Attitude & Behavior in Court
36:13 – Going From Prosecutor to Family Court Judge
38:46 – The Joy of Creative Solutions

🔗 Podcast Library: https://shewmakerandlewis.com/lawyers-without-billboards
🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more
📺 Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GbIMJ2G_mM0

📩 Contact: [email protected]
🎼 Music by Ben Hernandez at Dragonsong Productions
🎥 Produced by Rob Burgner at Bleeding Edge – in Atlanta, GA

22 episodes