Atlanta, October 3, 2018 – Superior Court Judge Joe C. Bishop of the Pataula Judicial Circuit has been designated to serve in place of Justice Sarah H. Warren in the appeal of Fulton County v. City of Atlanta et al. (S18A1156). The Supreme Court of Georgia will hear arguments in the case on Oct. 10 during its 2 P.M. session. In this case, Fulton County is appealing a court ruling that was in favor of the City of Atlanta regarding the possible annexation of parts of the Fulton County Industrial District. In addition to hearing arguments, Judge Bishop will participate in the Court’s decision.
Judge Bishop, 61, was appointed to the Superior Court of the Pataula Judicial Circuit by then-Gov. Zell Miller in 1991. The Pataula Circuit serves the counties of Clay, Early, Miller, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, and Terrell. Judge Bishop has served as a Superior Court Judge for 27 years. Prior to his appointment, he served as Judge of the Municipal Court of the city of Dawson. He has also served as a Juvenile Court Judge of Terrell County.
A native of South Georgia, Judge Bishop graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from Valdosta State University in 1979. He obtained his law degree from the University of Georgia in 1982.
Judge Bishop is the past President of the Council of Superior Court Judges. He was a member of the first Council of Accountability Court Judges, Executive Board from 2015 to 2018. He is a 2013 recipient of the Justice Robert Benham Community Service Award. In 2018, Judge Bishop was recognized with a STAR award by the Council of Accountability Court Judges for “dedicated and passionate service” to Georgia’s Accountability Courts. Judge Bishop established a multi-county drug court in 2000, over which he continues to preside. He is a past member of the Georgia Commission on Family Violence and currently serves as the Vice President of the Georgia Association of Community Service Boards. He is a member of the Dawson Rotary Club and Squadron 30 of the Sons of the American Legion.
Judge Bishop is a member of Sherwood Baptist Church. He has been married to Dr. Carol Bishop for 41 years. They have three children and three grandchildren.
(Designated judges are appointed when a justice must recuse himself or herself from a particular case. The Supreme Court of Georgia maintains a list of select judges from around the state and when the need arises, the Court appoints the next judge on the list.)