Chief Judge Ural Glanville sits in his Fulton County courtroom office with his service dog, Jack, on Sept. 26, 2023. (Steve Schaefer, right/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS)
(Tribune News Service) — Jack is one of the most beloved workers at the Fulton County Courthouse, even if he did once swipe someone’s lunch.
He shows up dutifully and takes his job seriously, although many are probably unaware he’s there. At least until the bell on his collar announces his presence.
A 2-year-old black lab, Jack is a service dog who accompanies Chief Judge Ural Glanville while the judge presides over lengthy hearings and trials. While Glanville hears arguments and rules on motions, Jack is nearby to help the Army veteran manage his PTSD.
“Just having him here is a comfort,” said Glanville. “He’s my buddy and we go pretty much everywhere.”
The mild-mannered pup is well-loved around the bustling courthouse, particularly among staff members who greet the dog each morning and play with him on their breaks. His second birthday party at an Atlanta dog park in April drew a crowd of attorneys, courthouse staffers and other judges, many of whom brought their own pooches.
“He’s part of our family,” Glanville said as he rubbed Jack’s belly during a recent lunch break in his office.
He got Jack in early 2022 from the Georgia-based organization Tails of Hope, which connects service animals with veterans, first responders and those with special needs. The rescue dog was a little shy at first, but quickly acclimated to his new role, both at home and at work, the judge said.
Glanville joined the ROTC during his time at Brevard College in North Carolina, later enlisting to help pay his way through school. He transferred to the University of Georgia as a junior, studying history as an undergraduate in Athens and then getting his law degree in 1987.
In addition to his civilian jobs as a prosecutor, defense attorney and eventually a judge, Glanville spent more than three decades in the Army Reserves, reaching the rank of Brigadier General and serving as chief judge of the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals. He was deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, from 2012 to 2013, serving as a Rule of Law field force commander.
Glanville retired from the military in 2019. At the time, he served as commanding general over the United States Army Reserve Legal Command.
“I’ve had just about every job that any military attorney could have,” said Glanville, who also heads Fulton County’s Veterans Court.
Glanville is currently presiding over two high-profile cases: the ongoing “Young Slime Life” gang and racketeering case involving Atlanta rapper Young Thug and the upcoming trial of Robert Aaron Long, who pleaded guilty to four shooting deaths at a Cherokee County spa and faces the death penalty in fatal shootings at two Fulton County spas.
Judge Ural Glanville and court reporter Kristina Weaver are seen during a trial in Atlanta on Oct. 31, 2023. At right, Glanville’s service dog, Jack, relaxes in the judge’s office on Sept. 26, 2023. (Arvin Temkar, left, and Steve Schaefer, right/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS)
Jack is so well-behaved that people in Glanville’s courtroom might not know he’s there. But that doesn’t mean the happy pup won’t help himself to an unattended snack back in chambers, a lesson some of Glanville’s staff members have learned the hard way.
“Wes, did he get your sandwich?” Glanville asked staff attorney Wesley Kerns as Jack trotted into the judge’s office with something in his mouth.
The bell on Jack’s collar jingles when he stretches, stands up or pilfers a nibble, a practice Glanville’s court reporter affectionately refers to as “counter-surfing.”
“Everybody loves Jack,” said Kristina Weaver, who’s been Glanville’s court reporter the last five and a half years. She planned the dog’s birthday party in the spring.
At work, she keeps her desk stocked with treats in an effort to win Jack’s affection and likes to play with him any chance she gets. Some employees who run into the judge and his dog have a habit of greeting Jack first, Weaver laughed.
“If they’re coming down the hall together or if I’m just getting there I’ll be like, ‘Hey, Jack! Oh, good morning, Judge,’” she said.
Jack has come to know the rhythms of the courtroom. He’ll remain still for hours, but when Glanville tells prosecutors and defense attorneys they’re taking a brief recess, Jack knows that’s his cue to stand up and stretch.
At home, Jack is affectionate and sweet with the judge and his family, and gets excited each morning when it’s time to put his service vest on.
“His little tail wags and everything because he’s knows he’s going to work,” Glanville said.
Fulton’s chief judge acknowledges that Jack can be the star of the show, but he doesn’t seem to mind sharing the spotlight outside the courtroom.
“Everybody likes him,” Glanville chuckled. “I mean, they’ll come visit him before they visit me.”
Fulton County’s jury services manager, Amy von Kelsch, a dog enthusiast herself, said she loves having Jack around. She helped Weaver organize the birthday party earlier this year, which included a bone-shaped cake and goodie bags for all the canine guests.
“He can be a little shy when you first meet him, but once he warms up he’s your best friend,” said von Kelsch, who comes by to visit Jack and dole out pets any chance she gets. “He’s very quiet and he has these soulful eyes ... He’s a good boy.”
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