Sheriff Gates Sued Again — Beverly Miller Already in Default as Talbot County Transparency Crisis Deepens

TALBOTTON, GA — The legal firestorm surrounding the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office is intensifying. New filings in the Superior Court of Talbot County show that Sheriff Bobby Gates Jr. has now been sued again—this time in his official capacity—over alleged violations of the Georgia Open Records Act. Meanwhile, Records Custodian Beverly Miller, a central figure in multiple lawsuits, has already gone into default, failing to respond to the original complaint filed against her last month.

According to court filings in Pickron v. Miller & Gates (2025-CV-075), the Sheriff’s Office is accused of repeatedly ignoring and delaying open-records requests submitted by citizen journalist Russell Pickron in June 2025. The amended complaint, accepted October 22, adds Sheriff Gates as a defendant in his official capacity, citing O.C.G.A. §§ 50-18-73(a) and 50-18-74(b), which allow suits against agency heads responsible for compliance with the Open Records Act.

The lawsuit alleges that Sheriff Gates “failed to adopt and enforce procedures ensuring compliance with the Georgia Open Records Act,” resulting in the ongoing denial of public access to county records. In one example, Miller allegedly charged an illegal $30-per-hour “processing fee” while admitting she was unsure whether the first 15 minutes of search time were free—a confusion she said required her to “check with the Sheriff.” As of the filing date, none of Pickron’s requested records had been released.

Compounding matters, the record now shows Beverly Miller is in legal default, having failed to file an answer within the 30-day window after being served. Under Georgia law, a default judgment could soon be entered against her—effectively conceding the allegations of open-records violations. The amended complaint therefore shifts new focus onto Sheriff Gates, arguing that as the agency head, he bears ultimate responsibility for his staff’s failures and for the office’s lack of lawful record-handling procedures.

A separate but similar lawsuit, Royce v. Miller & Gates (2025-CV-081), filed by journalist Robert Royce on the same day, accuses the Sheriff’s Office of willfully concealing payroll and personnel records, including time logs and handwritten pay sheets allegedly signed by Gates himself. Royce’s complaint claims employees admitted those records exist despite Miller’s earlier written denial—a contradiction that could prove critical in court.

Both plaintiffs seek declaratory judgments, injunctions, and civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation, along with orders compelling the Sheriff’s Office to establish lawful open-records policies and staff training.

If the court enters default judgment against Miller, it would be the first confirmed Open Records Act default in Talbot County’s history—a major black mark for an already embattled department. Sheriff Gates now faces the prospect of defending his agency in multiple active lawsuits while one of his top staffers stands in default on the same allegations.

Critics say this pattern of secrecy and stonewalling undermines public trust. “The people have a right to know what their government is doing,” Pickron stated in his filing. “No one—not even the Sheriff—is above transparency.”

With two open-records cases, a pending civil-rights suit, and a default already on the books, the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office may soon face a judicial reckoning over its handling of public information. Whether Sheriff Gates can restore accountability—or simply add another loss to a growing list—remains to be seen.