Cobb County State Court Clerk’s Office — Site Of New Passport Service
Cobb County residents will be able to apply for passports at the downtown Marietta courthouse again starting Monday, Nov. 2, this time through a brand-new office built specifically to avoid the kind of financial scandal that shut the old service down. Cobb County State Court Clerk Tahnicia Phillips is launching the U.S. Passport Acceptance Facility at 12 East Park Square, with appointments required Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The service marks the return of in-person passport help to Marietta Square after Cobb County’s prior passport operation, run out of the Superior Court Clerk’s office, came to a halt amid a criminal case against former Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor. According to East Cobb News, Taylor was suspended by Gov. Brian Kemp on charges of destroying government records and violating her oath of office. Each applicant at the new facility must book a separate appointment, and the office will process eligible first-time adult and minor passport applications.
A Scandal Rooted in Passport Fees
Taylor’s downfall traces back to money collected through the very passport program the county is now trying to rebuild public trust around. The Georgia Attorney General’s office announced that Taylor had been indicted on two counts each of destruction of public records and violation of oath of office, according to a release from the Office of the Georgia Attorney General. Per East Cobb News, she is accused of directing an employee to delete government emails and financial records, and the outlet reports her trial is scheduled for January 2027…