Meet Deborah

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Deborah and her husband have a daughter and grandchild. She lives in the Athens area. Deborah has a law degree from New York Law School.

Deborah is the District Attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit, serving the communities across Clarke, Oconee, Barrow, and Jackson counties. Prior to her role as DA, she represented these counties in the Georgia House of Representatives and served on the Judiciary Non-Civil House Committee. She has also been appointed co-chair of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators’ Taskforce on Criminal Justice and the Law and is a published author.

Deborah Gonzalez has experience as a legislator, having represented Clarke, Oconee, Barrow, and Jackson counties in the Georgia House of Representatives. During her time in the legislature, she served on the Judiciary Non-Civil House Committee and was appointed co-chair of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators’ Taskforce on Criminal Justice and the Law. She is currently serving as District Attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit.

Candidate website

The candidate's website says, "Deborah Gonzalez... worked as an attorney, accumulating years of valuable experience across many disciplines."

The candidate's website says, "The District Attorney’s office successfully worked through the court backlog caused by the COVID Pandemic."

The candidate's website says, "The office maintained a strong closure and conviction rate for cases that were caught in the backlog of the court closure, and therefore often posed additional challenges from a prosecutorial standpoint."

Opposes political manipulation; successfully sued to end a policy allowing appointed District Attorney successors, restoring elections and community choice.

Successfully sued to end a policy allowing appointed District Attorney successors.

The candidate's website says, "After winning a hard-fought election with a platform focused on those challenges... After courts had been shut down for a substantial amount of time, there was a case backlog number in the thousands. Despite this, she has worked constantly to successfully implement the meaningful change that she had been elected to champion."

The candidate's website says, "After courts had been shut down for a substantial amount of time, there was a case backlog number in the thousands. Despite this, she has worked constantly to successfully implement the meaningful change that she had been elected to champion."

- The candidate's website says, "The office maintained a strong closure and conviction rate for cases that were caught in the backlog of the court closure, and therefore often posed additional challenges from a prosecutorial standpoint."
- Successfully sued to end a policy allowing appointed District Attorney successors.
- The candidate's website says, "After courts had been shut down for a substantial amount of time, there was a case backlog number in the thousands. Despite this, she has worked constantly to successfully implement the meaningful change that she had been elected to champion."

Legal Experience

The candidate's website says, "Crime rates have dropped, validating the theory that public safety can be enhanced by focusing efforts on violent crimes - and finding alternative solutions for non-violent or non-repeat offenses."

The candidate's website says, "Our communities are suffering from a criminal justice system that focuses on harsh punishment... leading to broken families and broken people, with consequences felt most keenly by the children..."

The candidate's website says, "Our state’s government has taken extreme steps to curtail and undermine local District Attorneys... Deborah remains committed to representing the values of the circuit..."

The candidate's website says, "Under her tenure, the office has increased community outreach efforts by expanding partnerships with faith-based leaders, advocacy groups, and multiple university systems."

The candidate's website says, "The District Attorney’s office has fostered substantial ties with the diverse communities of Athens-Clarke County and Oconee County. This has been solidified by meaningful commitments to transparency - such as a monthly newsletter, frequent public-facing events, and a data dashboard."

Believes D.A. Gonzalez has diligently safeguarded the community, addressed systemic injustices, and faced resistance from entrenched powers while striving for ongoing reforms in public safety, including policing and criminal justice.

Candidates website says D.A Gonzalez has "addressed systemic injustices...while striving for ongoing reforms in public safety, including policing and criminal justice."

The candidate's website says, "Gonzalez ran in 2020 on a pledge to challenge the system in place... she saw a broken system that failed to focus enough resources on violent offenses... Meanwhile, she also witnessed firsthand how that same system... entrapping individuals who are of little to no threat to public safety..."

Described the current system as "broken," and looks to challenge it and ensure that it focuses "enough resources on violent offenses" and not on "entrapping individuals who are of little to no threat to public safety."

The candidate's website says, "Deborah aspires to change that system into a true criminal justice system by focusing on serious crimes and repeat offenders, while finding alternative accountability-based measures to address most nonviolent crimes or issues presented by juvenile defendants."

Prioritizes " focusing on serious crimes and repeat offenders, while finding alternative accountability-based measures to address most nonviolent crimes or issues presented by juvenile defendants."

The candidate's website says, "The Western Judicial Circuit sent a message by electing Deborah as District Attorney – that criminal justice reform matters and that the old way of doing things is no longer acceptable."

Said, "Criminal justice reform matters and that the old way of doing things is no longer acceptable."

The candidate's website says, "Advancing the cause of criminal justice reform... to acknowledge and correct the inequities and systemic discrimination that have been historically perpetuated by the criminal legal system."

Plans to ensure that the inequities caused by past systemic discrimination are fixed in order to "advance the cause of criminal justice reform."

The candidate's website says, "She also continues to prioritize protecting and advocating for victims by forging strong community partnerships and utilizing trauma-informed care practices."

Prioritizes "protecting and advocating for victims by forging strong community partnerships and utilizing trauma-informed care practices."

The candidate's website says, "The depth and breadth of victim services has greatly increased - including providing additional multilingual services, building a Victim’s Lounge designed by experts in trauma-informed care, and leveraging an extensive network of local partner organizations."

Has increased many public services, including "additional multilingual services, building a Victim’s Lounge designed by experts in trauma-informed care, and leveraging an extensive network of local partner organizations."

The candidate's website says, "Deborah is dedicated to making the Western Judicial Circuit a national leader in transparency measures... Our system can be truly justice-oriented when everyone can understand the outcomes and process behind each decision."

Wants to increase transparency between the public and the Western Judicial circuit through measures like more comprehensive data reporting, a monthly newsletter, community outreach, and a data dashboard.

The candidate's website says, "Deborah has led substantial efforts to reform the system and address historic inequities, including participating in records restriction events, creating alternative solutions for at-risk youth, and spearheading several restorative justice or resentencing efforts."

Has led efforts to "reform the system and address historic inequities, including participating in records restriction events, creating alternative solutions for at-risk youth, and spearheading several restorative justice or resentencing efforts."

Increased community outreach efforts by the court by "expanding partnerships with faith-based leaders, advocacy groups, and multiple university systems."

- Described the current system as "broken," and looks to challenge it and ensure that it focuses "enough resources on violent offenses" and not on "entrapping individuals who are of little to no threat to public safety."
- Prioritizes " focusing on serious crimes and repeat offenders, while finding alternative accountability-based measures to address most nonviolent crimes or issues presented by juvenile defendants."
- Said, "Criminal justice reform matters and that the old way of doing things is no longer acceptable."
- Plans to ensure that the inequities caused by past systemic discrimination are fixed in order to "advance the cause of criminal justice reform."
- Prioritizes "protecting and advocating for victims by forging strong community partnerships and utilizing trauma-informed care practices."
- Has increased many public services, including "additional multilingual services, building a Victim’s Lounge designed by experts in trauma-informed care, and leveraging an extensive network of local partner organizations."
- Wants to increase transparency between the public and the Western Judicial circuit through measures like more comprehensive data reporting, a monthly newsletter, community outreach, and a data dashboard.
- Has led efforts to "reform the system and address historic inequities, including participating in records restriction events, creating alternative solutions for at-risk youth, and spearheading several restorative justice or resentencing efforts."
- Increased community outreach efforts by the court by "expanding partnerships with faith-based leaders, advocacy groups, and multiple university systems."

Public Safety

The candidate's website says, "Deborah for DA is not responsible and makes no warranties in regards to those sites, each of which may have their own privacy policy that should be reviewed by you before continuing to use that website."

The candidate's website says, "Use any device, software, or routine that interferes with the proper functioning of the Site and its advertising partners or take any other action that interferes with other parties’ use of the Site;"

The candidate's website says, "Please note that we cannot be responsible for the effects of any third party software including Malware on your computer system... If you do discover any Malware on your system, we also suggest you speak with a qualified computer technician."

The candidate's website says, "By submitting any content or information to the Site... you grant us and our contractors and affiliates a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive worldwide license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, communicate to the public, perform, and display the content or information... subject to our Privacy Policy with respect to your Personal Information (as defined in the Privacy Policy)."

The candidate's website says, "The content you view, share via social networks, and like or dislike via the corresponding buttons on the Site and Apps. We collect this data in order to better understand your preferences so that we can create customized experiences."

Said, "The Site is designed and targeted to U.S. audiences ... We make no representation that this Site is operated in accordance with the laws or regulations of, or governed by, other nations."

The candidate's website says, "COMMENTS – When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection;"

The candidate's website says, "The URL from which you accessed this Site, and which URL you visit next. We may collect and store this aggregate information in order to measure the Site’s performance and improve the Site’s design and functionality."

The candidate's website says, "Users of the www.deborahforda.com website may opt-out of ... any other consent previously granted for a specific purpose concerning your Personal Information, by sending an e-mail to Deborah for DA at campaign@deborahforda.com."

The candidate's website says, "The Deborah for DA website may collect some of this information using “cookies,” stored information in a browser’s memory that is shared with our system’s server."

The candidate's website says, "Send unsolicited commercial email to the email addresses provided on the Site (spam, chain emails, advertising, solicitations, and similar email solicitations are expressly prohibited);"

The candidate's website says, "Deborah for DA is committed to protect the privacy of users of the www.deborahforda.com (located at: http://deborahforda.com) website and apps."

The candidate's website says, "constitutes a breach of any person’s privacy or publicity rights, hate speech, or an infringement of any third party’s intellectual property rights of any kind, including without limitation, copyright, patent, trademark, industrial design, trade secret, confidentiality, or moral rights; or"

The candidate's website says, "If you provide any information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current, or incomplete, or Deborah for DA has reasonable grounds to suspect that such information is untrue, inaccurate, not current, or incomplete, Deborah for DA has the right to suspend or terminate your account... All Registration Information will be treated in accordance with Deborah for DA’s Privacy Policy."

Believes that submitting personal information, like email addresses, on a Site function implies consent to its disclosure to other users, exempting it from the site's Privacy Policy protections.

The candidate's website says, "In addition to the restrictions on disclosure of Personal Information as set forth in Deborah for DA’s Privacy Policy, Deborah for DA will not edit, delete, or disclose the contents of your personally identifiable information ... unless:"

The candidate's website says, "To unaffiliated third parties that are under contract to perform services for or on behalf of Deborah for DA... and are required to uphold and maintain Deborah for DA’s policies with respect to privacy and the treatment of your Personal Information..."

The candidate's website says, "Deborah for DA will treat any information it collects from you in accordance with its Privacy Policy... In consideration of use of these portions of the Site, you represent and warrant that, in registering and providing such data to Deborah for DA:"

The candidate's website says, "MEDIA – If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website."

The candidate's website says, "Deborah for DA... reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy Policy at any time and for any reason without prior notice... We may also contact you by email with changes."

The candidate's website says, "In the event of a sale, merger, liquidation, dissolution, or sale or transfer of substantially all of the assets of Deborah for DA personal Information and/or usage data collected about you from the Site may be sold, assigned, or transferred... Subject to your ability to opt-out as described above, by using this Site and submitting your information to us, you consent to the sale and transfer of your information as described in this paragraph."

Said, "The Deborah for DA Site may include the ability to “share” content ... We will post information to your social media account only at your explicit direction ... We retrieve information, such as “likes”, “subscriptions”, and “friend lists” ... We do NOT share this information with advertisers or sell the information to any third parties ... but we reserve the right to share aggregated information about our audience with no personally identifiable information."

The candidate's website says, "The Deborah Gonzalez for DA website has in place reasonable methodologies to protect the information it collects... These measures may include an electronic firewall and various other protection measures that involve virus scanning, installation of security patches, vulnerability testing, backup and recovery planning, employee training, security audits and other steps designed constantly to improve the data protection posture... However, we cannot guarantee that information during transmission through the Internet or any computer network is entirely safe from unauthorized intrusion, access or manipulation."

The candidate's website says, "Personal information (name, address, birthdate, etc.), if supplied by the user, is kept private and confidential... We do not share this information with any third parties other than those listed in the Information Disclosure section below."

The candidate's website says, "By participating in our Site activities, you certify that you meet the age and other eligibility requirements for this Site as set forth in our Terms of Use Agreement... If you do not meet such age and other eligibility requirements, please discontinue using the Site immediately... your continued use of the Site indicates that you are agreeing to the collection, use, disclosure, management and storage of your Information as described in this Privacy Policy."

Believes the Privacy Policy remains effective even after a user stops using the site or its services, and advises against participation if the user disagrees with the policy.

The candidate's website says, "This Privacy Policy applies whether you are accessing the Site ... or any other technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered ... and whether you are accessing the Site as a registered user or other user of the Site."

Said, "Our website does not track, collect or distribute personally identifiable information (PII) about visitors... to improve the Deborah for DA website in an ongoing effort to provide better information and services our members, clients, and the public."

The candidate's website says, "Any information you provide is to be true, accurate, current, non-misleading... You warrant that the information you provide does not infringe on any other’s rights, including but not limited to, intellectual property and publicity rights."

As of July 25, 2024, Deborah Gonzalez’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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Deborah Gonzalez

- A District Attorney is the person who represents the government in the prosecution of all felony criminal cases and the misdemeanors connected to felonies. 
- They review police arrest reports, build cases against arrested individuals, and ultimately are responsible for prosecuting and making the case against these individuals. 
- They also have the discretion of whether or not to bring charges against arrested people, whether or not to seek jail time, or whether or not to send individuals to pre-trial diversion programs. District Attorneys handle the most critical cases in their district, including internal investigations of law enforcement officers.
- District Attorneys do not work alone. They also supervise other attorneys, called Deputy District Attorneys or Assistant District Attorneys.
- There are 49 District Attorneys In Georgia, each representing the judicial circuit in which they get elected. Since 1968, the office has been a full-time elected position whose incumbent could not engage in the private practice of law. District Attorneys are part of the judicial branch of the Georgia state government.