Georgia Supreme Court openings draw 15 nominees with midstate ties

Fifteen lawyers and judges with Middle Georgia ties are in the running to fill two new seats on the Georgia Supreme Court.

Georgia lawmakers voted this year to expand the number of seats on the state’s highest court from seven to nine, creating two judgeships that Gov. Nathan Deal will fill after the list of nominees is culled by the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission, which makes recommendations to the governor.

Nominees interested in pursing the two seats must submit applications by Aug. 26. Interviews will be held sometime after Sept. 12.

A total 132 people have been nominated, according to a list provided by the commission.

The nominees with Middle Georgia ties include:

▪ Georgia Court of Appeals judges Stephen L. A. Dillard, John Ellington, M. Yvette Miller and William M. Ray II;

▪ Macon Judicial Circuit Superior Court judges Verda Colvin, Edgar W. Ennis Jr. and Tilman E. “Tripp” Self;

▪ Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge E. Trent Brown;

▪ Mercer University law professors Sarah Gerwig-Moore and Gary J. Simson;

▪ Laurens County prosecutor Robert Brandon Faircloth;

▪ Byron city councilman and privately practicing attorney Michael L. Chidester, Dublin attorney Joshua E. Kight, Cordele attorney David N. Rainwater and Warner Robins attorney Bonnie Michelle Smith.

The two judges appointed by Deal will serve a two-year term beginning Jan. 1 and then must seek re-election for a six-year term.

Deal appointed three new judges to the Georgia Court of Appeals last year after legislators voted to increase that court’s size from 12 to 15.

It’s likely that the governor will also have the opportunity to make two additional appointments to the Georgia Supreme Court before the end of his term in 2018.

Chief Justice Hugh P. Thompson of Milledgeville has announced his plan to retire by early next year.

A second justice, P. Harris Hines, is set to turn 75 in September 2018. Justices must retire by age 75 or lose their retirement benefits.

This story was originally published August 9, 2016 at 12:27 PM with the headline "Georgia Supreme Court openings draw 15 nominees with midstate ties."