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

Lawyers Without Billboards

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