Nine with midstate ties seeking Georgia Supreme Court judgeships

Nine applicants with Middle Georgia ties are vying to fill two new seats on the Georgia Supreme Court.

The number of seats on the state’s highest court was expanded this year to create the new judgeships.

Gov. Nathan Deal is set to appoint lawyers to fill the positions after a list of applicants is culled by the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission.

The commission received 132 nominations, but only 51 of those nominated have decided to continue on in the process and be interviewed.

Applicants with Middle Georgia ties are:

Georgia Court of Appeals judges John Ellington, M. Yvette Miller and William M. Ray II;

Macon Judicial Circuit Chief Superior Court Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self;

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

Laurens County prosecutor Robert Brandon Faircloth;

Dublin attorney Joshua E. Kight and Warner Robins attorney Bonnie Michelle Smith.

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

This story was originally published August 29, 2016 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Nine with midstate ties seeking Georgia Supreme Court judgeships."