Justice P. Harris Hines at his investiture as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia in January 2017. (Photo: John Disney/ALM)

The Georgia First Amendment Foundation on Oct. 10 presented the family of the late Chief Justice Harris Hines of the state Supreme Court its annual Weltner Freedom of Information Award.

Hines, who retired from the high court last year and died a couple of months later in a car accident, made key decisions protecting news organizations seeking access to public documents. The foundation noted that, as a judge on the Cobb County Superior Court, Hines ruled in favor of the Marietta Daily Journal when it was seeking records of a private, nonprofit hospital doing work on behalf of a governmental hospital authority. As a Supreme Court justice, Hines wrote the court's unanimous opinion in Howard v. Sumter Free Press, which compelled the Sumter County Sheriff's Office to comply with the Open Records Act.

Current Chief Justice Harold Melton, who succeeded Hines and years ago worked for Hines on the superior court, spoke about his mentor to a foundation reception at the Emory Conference Center. Beyond Hines work on the court, Melton emphasized Hines' knack for treating people fairly. Melton said Hines viewed others like this: "I'm no better than you, and you're no better than me."

The foundation's award is named for Charles Weltner, who was chief justice when he died in 1992. Weltner's daughter Susan Yow presented the award to Hines' widow, Helen.

Earlier in the evening, foundation co-founder Hyde Post received an award and in his remarks lamented "news deserts," referring to areas of the state in which no local news organization reports on local city councils or county commissions. "Algorithms control the court of public opinion," he said.

Post urged open government lawyers to "take full advantage of public outrage" when citizens believe they aren't being told the truth about public matters.

Foundation president Richard Griffiths credited Attorney General Chris Carr and his office for help in the foundation's producing an updated "Red Book" that is a guide to public records and open meeting laws in Georgia.