SKIP TO CONTENT
J. Colby Jones is a partner at Downey & Cleveland, LLP in Marietta, Georgia.
Colby’s litigation practice focuses on representing individuals and businesses in the areas of personal injury and premises liability.
He is trusted by clients to resolve cases in State and Federal courts across Georgia, ranging from minor property damage disputes to claims involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death. He frequently handles cases on appeal before the Supreme Court of Georgia and Georgia Court of Appeals.
Since joining the firm in 2005, Colby has served as lead trial counsel in more than 40 jury trials, securing favorable verdicts for his clients.
From the moment Colby receives a new case, he begins to prepare the case for trial, identifying those cases suitable for early resolution, and planning for how to best present the facts developed in discovery, so that he can effectively convey his client’s story to the jury.
Outside the courtroom, Colby is approved by the Supreme Court of Georgia to mentor new attorneys in the practice of law, and he is called on by colleagues to speak at Continuing Legal Education seminars, most recently on the topics of time limited demands and trial presentation technology.
Before attending law school, Colby worked as a newspaper reporter, and was the recipient of the Silver Gavel from the State Bar of Georgia in recognition of his reporting about the court system.
Legal Assistant
Cherie Hardman
Representative Results
Trial Courts
- Superior Court of Fannin County
Damages were limited to $5,000 in a rear-end auto case when negligence was admitted, the plaintiff called three doctors to testify live at trial, and the plaintiff’s attorney introduced into evidence more than $177,00 in medical expenses - State Court of Gwinnett County
Defense verdict obtained for client accused of intentionally attempting to run over plaintiff on race day at Atlanta Motor Speedway - State Court of Fulton County
Successful negotiation of a diminished value claim by owner of a new Lamborghini Diablo that sustained significant property damage in a rear-end collision - State Court of Douglas County
Defense verdict for a corporate pilot accused of assaulting his former student who had replaced him as the corporation’s pilot, resulting in a physical confrontation on the airstrip that left the plaintiff with a bimalleolar fracture to his ankle requiring surgery - State Court of DeKalb County
No award of punitive damages and elimination of personal exposure for dump truck owner-operator who admittedly was taking a weight loss stimulant at the time of the accident, which resulted in the death of an 18-year-old Eagle Scout - United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia
Elimination of personal exposure for teen driver who crossed the centerline in her pickup after a tire blowout, causing her pickup to hit an oncoming car and leaving it disabled on the highway, where it was t-boned by a tractor trailer, resulting in the teen client suffering a neck fracture. After successfully defending the client against claims by the motorist she hit, a recovery was obtained against both the business that sold her a defective tire and the commercial truck driver - Superior Court of DeKalb County
Defense verdict obtained for unknown driver John Doe after a large bolt from a tractor trailer shattered the plaintiff’s front windshield on the interstate, striking her in the face and resulting in a scar - State Court of Cobb County
In back-to-back jury trials involving separate teenage plaintiffs against a DUI driver who returned to Mexico after the accident and failed to appear at trial, a jury declined to award punitive damages in the first trial and limited punitive damages to $2,500 in the second trial - State Court of Cobb County
Defense verdict in favor of a homeowner whose guest tripped over an in-ground trash can in his front yard, leading to a bacterial infection in the plaintiff’s leg that required hospital treatment
Appellate Courts
- Georgia Court of Appeals
Summary judgment by the trial court was affirmed on appeal in favor of the owner of a pit bull named Cujo whose roommate was attacked when it was demonstrated the plaintiff knew about the dog’s vicious propensity before the attack [pdf – appellate opinion] - Georgia Court of Appeals
Reversal of the trial court in favor of a liability insurer because its auto policy did not provide coverage for the sexual assault of a minor patient being transported to a medical appointment [pdf – appellate opinion] - Georgia Court of Appeals
Notice of Appeal dismissed by the appellate court as untimely when the plaintiff failed to follow proper procedures for pursuing either a direct appeal or discretionary review of the trial court’s dismissal of his complaint for untimely service [pdf – appellate opinion] - Supreme Court of Georgia
On writ of certiorari, Court reversed lower courts, determining that Georgia’s apportionment statute permitted the jury to assess fault against a plaintiff’s employer based on the doctrine of negligent entrustment [pdf – appellate opinion] - Georgia Court of Appeals
Affirmed the trial court’s grant of summary judgment to homeowner who was hosting a Fourth of July party when a member of the band he hired to provide entertainment tripped down steps leading from the patio to pool, causing bilateral femur fractures that required extensive hospitalization [pdf – appellate opinion]
Practice Areas
- Personal Injury
- Premises Liability
- Trucking and Commercial Transport
- Property Damage
- Appellate
- Construction Litigation
- Insurance Coverage
Credentials
Education
- Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and English, University of Georgia, 1998
- Juris Doctorate, cum laude, Georgia State University, 2005
Court Admissions
- Georgia State and Superior Courts
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- Supreme Court of Georgia
- Georgia Court of Appeals
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Professional Memberships
- State Bar of Georgia
- Defense Research Institute
- Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
- Cobb County Bar Association
