Atlanta, May 2, 2018 – Judge Clyde L. Reese, III of the Court of Appeals of Georgia has been designated to serve in place of Chief Justice P. Harris Hines in the appeal of Withers et al. v. Schroeder (S17G1875). The Supreme Court of Georgia will hear arguments in the case on Monday, May 7 during its 10:00 A.M. session. In this case, a DeKalb County judge and court administrator are appealing a Georgia Court of Appeals ruling that partially reversed a lower court’s dismissal of a lawsuit against them. In addition to hearing arguments, Judge Reese will participate in the Court’s decision.
Judge Reese, 59, was appointed to the Court of Appeals by Gov. Nathan Deal, taking office Dec. 1, 2016. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980 from Georgia State University. He then attended the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University and graduated in 1996.
Judge Reese has enjoyed a long career in public service. Following law school, he became an Assistant Attorney General in the Georgia Law Department under Attorney General Michael Bowers. From 1999-2003 Judge Reese was the Deputy General Counsel of the Department of Community Health. He was in private practice in the firm of Reese & Hopkins, LLC from 2003-2007. Judge Reese returned to state government in 2007 as General Counsel to the Department of Community Health. In May of 2010, then-Gov. Sonny Perdue appointed Judge Reese as the Commissioner of the Department of Community Health. In Jan. 2011, Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Judge Reese as the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services. Judge Reese served in that capacity until his appointment to the Court of Appeals of Georgia.
Judge Reese currently serves as a member of the Georgia Commission on Interpreters, appointed by the Georgia Supreme Court. He also serves as a member of the Planning, Facilities Management and Court Security Committee and the Strategic Planning/Court Futures Committee for the Court of Appeals.
Judge Reese has five children and two grandchildren. He has been a member of the Friendship Community Church for more than 30 years.
(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.)