An initial hearing in Waycross Municipal Court for the citizen ethics case against Waycross City Commissioner Katrena Felder was never more than tentative, the Judicial Assistant for Presiding Judge Brian Joseph “Joe” Huffman, Jr. said Monday.
Phillip Price, speaking on behalf of Judge Huffman in an email, said the 11 a.m., June 16 time, had been discussed as a tentative date, but with no formal notice of a hearing issued, and no order entered.
The Waycross Journal-Herald
reached out to Huffman’s office June 16 with an inquiry after arriving at Waycross Police Department for the proceeding to find the courtroom locked.
“While June 16 had been discussed as a tentative date during preliminary scheduling efforts, no formal notice of hearing was issued, and no order was entered,” Price said in his response to the newspaper’s email request for clarification. “That date was considered solely for planning purposes, subject to case developments.”
Price did say counsel to the parties involved in the case did hold a “telephone status conference” Friday, June 13.
A hearing would have been the first court proceeding since Huffman, Chief Judge of the Chatham County Recorder’s Court, selected Savannah attorney Caroline Bradley as prosecutor for the case. Huffman named himself in April to preside over the case.
The need for another judge and prosecutor resulted from the recusals earlier this year of Waycross Municipal Court Judge Douglas Gibson, Judge Pro Tempore Adrienne Gibson and Solicitor Joseph Johnson, citing a conflict as contract employees of the city.
Price’s email continued by referencing the City Code for Ethics Board prosecutions.
“Pursuant to Section 2-167(f)(19)(f) of the City of Waycross Code of Ordinances, a recommendation for prosecution by the Ethics Board is treated as a referral to the prosecuting attorney. It is the prosecutor’s role — not the court’s — to determine whether formal legal proceedings should be initiated.
“Attorney Caroline Bradley has been appointed to review the Waycross Ethics Board’s December 13, 2024, recommendation concerning Commissioner Katrena Felder and to make that determination. Judge Huffman has been designated to preside over any matter that may arise from such a referral, should formal charges be filed. As no formal charges have been filed, no public hearing has been scheduled.
“A telephone status conference with counsel was held on Friday, June 13, 2025, to clarify the procedural posture. A follow-up status conference is anticipated in July to check on the status of Attorney Bradley’s review.”
Price closed the email by saying, “consistent with the Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct, Judge Huffman is not able to comment on the substance or potential outcome of matters that may come before the court.”
