Atlanta, Aug. 1, 2018 – Superior Court Judge Thomas Britt Hammond of the Toombs Judicial Circuit has been designated to serve in place of Justice Britt C. Grant in the appeal of BellSouth Telecommunications, LLC et al. v. Cobb Co. et al. (S17G2011). The Supreme Court of Georgia will hear arguments in the case on Monday, Aug. 6, 2018 during its 10:00 A.M. session. At issue in this case is whether municipalities may sue phone companies for failing to charge telephone customers enough to pay for the 9-1-1 services provided by the local governments.
Judge Hammond, 49, was elected a Superior Court Judge for the Toombs Judicial Circuit on May 24, 2016. The Toombs Judicial Circuit serves the counties of Glascock, Lincoln, McDuffie, Taliaferro, Warren, and Wilkes. Prior to his election, Judge Hammond served as a Juvenile Court Judge from 2004-2016. He served as a Public Defender from 1997-2004.
Judge Hammond obtained a B.A. in history from the University of North Georgia in 1991. He then attended Samford University, Cumberland School of Law, where he obtained his law degree in 1995.
Judge Hammond is a former member of the Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges and has served on several projects for the Supreme Court of Georgia’s Committee on Justice. He is a former member of the Advisory Committee to the National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise of the American Public Health Services Association. He currently serves as a member of the Mandatory Continuing Judicial Education Committee on the Council of Superior Court Judges.
Judge Hammond is a recipient of the 2012 Georgia County Welfare Association’s “Friend of Children Award;” the 2012 American Public Health Services Association’s “Mitchell Wendell Jurist Award” for significant contribution to the field of children’s law; and the 2016 Casey Excellence for Children Award, which is awarded to leaders who have demonstrated distinguished work, exceptional leadership, and relentless dedication toward improving the lives of children and families.
Judge Hammond resides in Thomson with his wife and their three children.
(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.)