Atlanta, March 15, 2021 – Chief Justice Harold D. Melton will deliver his third – and final – State of the Judiciary address to the Legislature on Tuesday, March 16, at 11 a.m. in the House Chamber of the Georgia State Capitol. This speech is an annual opportunity to update the legislative branch on [...]
Atlanta, March 11, 2021 – Presiding Justice David E. Nahmias was unanimously elected by his colleagues today to become the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia. He will succeed Chief Justice Harold D. Melton, who will resign from the Court on July 1, 2021 after 16 years of distinguished service as [...]
Atlanta, March 9, 2021 – Chief Justice Harold D. Melton today issued an order that lifts the suspension of jury trials in Georgia, “effective immediately.” With today’s order, which is the 12th he has signed extending the Statewide Judicial Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, trial courts may resume jury trials, “if that can [...]
Atlanta, February 12, 2021 – Chief Justice Harold D. Melton announced today that he will leave the Supreme Court of Georgia effective July 1, 2021. In a statement to court staff and the Georgia Judicial Council – the policy-making body for the state’s judicial branch of government – he said he does not yet [...]
Atlanta, Feb. 7, 2021 – Chief Justice Harold D. Melton today extended for another month the Statewide Judicial Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order he signed today is the 11th he has signed that extends the emergency he first declared on March 14, 2020. Under state law, the Chief Justice is authorized [...]
Atlanta, January 7, 2021 – Shawn Ellen LaGrua was officially sworn in today to serve as a justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, beginning Jan. 19, 2021. Gov. Brian Kemp appointed the Fulton County Superior Court judge to the state’s highest court on Dec. 1, 2020 to the seat vacated by Justice Keith [...]
Atlanta, December 22, 2020 – In an emergency session today with state judicial leaders, Chief Justice Harold D. Melton said he will sign an order tomorrow, Dec. 23, that will suspend jury trials statewide in the face of the disturbing spread of the coronavirus. The order will amend the most recent order he signed [...]
Atlanta, Dec. 9, 2020 – With the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Georgia, Chief Justice Harold D. Melton signaled today that judges should stand ready to reverse course and pull back on in-person court proceedings if the spread of the virus in their area prevents them from doing so safely. The Chief Justice [...]
Chief Justice Harold D. Melton today issued the following statement in response to Governor Kemp’s intention to appoint Judge Shawn Ellen LaGrua to the Supreme Court of Georgia:“We are delighted that Governor Kemp has chosen Shawn LaGrua to join our Court. She is an excellent choice among a number of excellent choices the governor had [...]
Atlanta, November 27, 2020 – Former Chief Justice George H. Carley died late Thursday night from COVID-19, Chief Justice Harold D. Melton has announced. The former justice passed away around 11:00 p.m. at Emory Decatur Hospital. He was 82 years old. Justice Carley was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia in 1993 by [...]
