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Polite, Joseph L
Status: active
Profile written May 6, 2026
This profile reflects positional accountability — this individual held the leadership roles shown during the dates shown, during which the listed deaths or lawsuits occurred. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding of personal culpability for any specific incident.
Tenure Summary
Joseph L. Polite has been employed by the Georgia Department of Corrections since at least 2015, rising from a general corrections operations role through unit supervisor ranks — Correctional Captain (2016) and Correctional Unit Manager (2017–2018) — before spending at least six consecutive years as a Deputy Warden (2019–2024). GPS records show no deaths attributed to facility-leader tenures held by Polite; the deaths-during-tenure field is empty across all positions. No facility assignments are recorded in the structured data, so facility-specific patterns cannot be established. Five federal civil lawsuits name Polite as a defendant, spanning 2014 to 2023, all terminated with no outcome amounts recorded.
What Happened on Their Watch
Because no facility identifiers are attached to any of Polite's positions and no deaths are linked to his tenures in GPS records, a facility-by-facility accountability narrative cannot be constructed from the available data. His progression from unit supervisor to Deputy Warden — a role he has held continuously from 2019 through at least 2024 — places him at the `facility_deputy` accountability tier, but the specific institutions where he served in that capacity are not documented in the structured records provided.
Litigation
- Milo v. Polite, No. 1:14-cv-02802 (N.D. Ga.), filed 2014-08-29, terminated 2016-06-08. No outcome amount recorded. (CourtListener)
- Pace v. Polite, No. 1:15-cv-02345 (N.D. Ga.), filed 2015-06-30, terminated 2016-06-08. No outcome amount recorded. (CourtListener)
- Gumm v. Jacobs, No. 5:15-cv-00041 (M.D. Ga.), filed 2015-02-12, terminated 2019-05-07. Polite listed as defendant. No outcome amount recorded. (CourtListener)
- Zavala v. Ward, No. 5:19-cv-00383 (M.D. Ga.), filed 2019-09-23, terminated 2021-03-02. Polite listed as defendant. No outcome amount recorded. (CourtListener)
- Hall v. Shepard, No. 5:23-cv-00205 (M.D. Ga.), filed 2023-06-08, terminated 2024-06-11. Polite listed as defendant. No outcome amount recorded. (CourtListener)
All five cases are terminated. Dispositions — whether by dismissal, summary judgment, or settlement — are not reflected in the structured records.
Sources
- CourtListener — docket records for Milo v. Polite (1:14-cv-02802), Pace v. Polite (1:15-cv-02345), Gumm v. Jacobs (5:15-cv-00041), Zavala v. Ward (5:19-cv-00383), Hall v. Shepard (5:23-cv-00205)
- GPS records — personnel and salary data for Joseph L. Polite, 2015–2024
Positions Held
| Title | Facility | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| DEPUTY WARDEN | 2019-01-01 → 2024-12-31 | |
| CSM CORRECTIONAL UNIT MANAGER | 2017-01-01 → 2018-12-31 | |
| CSM CORRECTIONAL CAPTAIN | 2016-01-01 → 2016-12-31 | |
| CORRECTION OPERATIONS | 2015-01-01 → 2015-12-31 |
Lawsuits as defendant
| Case # | Court | Filed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5:23-cv-00205 | GAMD | 2023-06-08 | terminated |
| 5:19-cv-00383 | GAMD | 2019-09-23 | terminated |
| 1:15-cv-02345 | GAND | 2015-06-30 | terminated |
| 5:15-cv-00041 | GAMD | 2015-02-12 | terminated |
| 1:14-cv-02802 | GAND | 2014-08-29 | terminated |
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