Glenda Hatchett attends the 2023 The Vision Community Foundation Black Tie Gala at The Whitley on July 14, 2023, in Atlanta. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
MORGAN COUNTY, Ga. - TV personality Judge Glenda Hatchett has been ordered to pay attorney fees after dropping a lawsuit against an ex-Georgia sheriff and the Georgia Sheriff's Association.
The judge will be back in court later this month for a hearing over the new ruling that her case against the organization was "without merit."
The backstory:
Hatchett filed the lawsuit in 2022 after she said she was groped by Kristopher Coody during a reception for the Georgia Sheriff's Association at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel.
"I am a very strong woman. I pride myself on being strong," Hatchett told reporters in 2023. "I never expected that I would be so deeply affected by this."
Sheriff Kristopher Coody (Cobb County Jail)
Coody pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of sexual battery and was sentenced to 12 months' probation, 40 hours of community service, a $500 fine, and was required to complete an alcohol and drug course.
He resigned from his position as the Bleckley County sheriff immediately after his plea.
What we know:
Hatchett had named the Georgia Sheriff's Association as part of a civil lawsuit over the incident, alleging negligence and liability on the part of the association.
However, the television judge decided to withdraw the lawsuit recently, saying that she wanted to put the whole incident behind her.
The organization then filed a motion for attorney's fees and expenses, saying they were seeking to recoup legal costs associated with defending itself in the case.
In July, a Morgan County judge ruled that Hatchett's claims "lacked merit" and authorized the Georgia Sheriff's Association to seek compensation.
What's next:
Hatchett and the Georgia Sheriff's Association will be back in court in Morgan County on Aug. 18 for a hearing on the new court order.
The Source: Information for this story came from a ruling by Morgan County Superior Court Judge Terry N. Massey and previous FOX 5 reporting.