Governor Appoints Spence Pryor to JNC

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the appointment of Alston & Bird Partner Spence Pryor to the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC). Pryor will replace James P. Kelly, III, who is a candidate for the Supreme Court appointment and has recused himself from the proceedings.

Governor Perdue also today amended the Executive Order creating the JNC to allow for eight nominees to be submitted on a short list to the Governor. There are 38 candidates for the Supreme Court appointment, many more than is usual for a vacant judgeship. The JNC convenes Monday for two days of interviews with the candidates.

Both of the changes are applicable for the filling of this vacancy only.

Spence Pryor’s bio is below, and a copy of the amended Executive Order is included below as well.

T.C. Spencer Pryor, Partner, Alston & Bird

T. C. Spencer Pryor is a former assistant U.S. attorney and counsel to the Deputy Attorney General. Spence concentrates his practice in the areas of white collar criminal defense, corporate compliance, health care, government investigations, and internal corporate investigations. For approximately four years, Spence served as a federal prosecutor in the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. As an assistant U.S. attorney, Spence investigated and prosecuted terrorism and national security matters including, cases involving terrorist financing, airport security, identity theft, credit card fraud, and immigration and Social Security fraud. Spence also served as a prosecutor in the office’s Major Crimes Unit where he investigated and prosecuted matters involving firearms, violent crime, gangs, and public corruption. His work at the United States Attorney’s office included significant jury trial experience in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Executive Order by the Governor:

Whereas:       Interest in the vacancy on the Bench of the Supreme Court of Georgia

created by the resignation of Chief Justice Leah Ward

                        Sears generated the submission of 47 nominations and the receipt of 38

applications; and

Whereas:       Given the significant quantitative and qualitative response to the vacancy, and that each of the 38 applicants will have only one interview with the members of the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC); and 

Whereas:       One member of the JNC, The Honorable James P. Kelly, III, made application for the vacancy on the Supreme Court of Georgia, and therefore is unable to serve on the interviewing panel.

                        Now, therefore, by virtue of the power vested in me as Governor of the State of Georgia, it is hereby

Ordered:        That, for the purpose of filling this vacancy, the Commission shall

recommend to the Governor eight individuals which it

                        finds qualified for the vacancy on the Supreme Court of Georgia.

                        It is further

Ordered:        That, for the purpose of filling this vacancy, Mr. Spence Pryor is hereby appointed to serve as a member of the Judicial

                        Nominating Commission.

                        This 26^th day of June, 2009.