Governor Perdue Announces Formation of the Judicial Nominating Commission

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the formation of the Judicial Nominating Commission (Commission). The Commission will make nominations to fill vacancies in the Georgia Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Superior and State Courts. Former Georgia Attorney General Michael Bowers will serve as the Chairman of the Commission.

"One of the most important duties as Governor is to fill judicial vacancies with men and women of the highest capacity and integrity who will impartially interpret the laws and administer justice," said Governor Sonny Perdue.

"I appreciate the leadership Mike Bowers will bring to the Commission and have confidence that the members of the Judicial Nominating Commission will recommend candidates to fill vacancies in our courts that are of the highest caliber and will serve the State of Georgia with distinction," added Governor Perdue.

The Judicial Nominating Commission will consist of 18 members appointed by the Governor. In the event of a judicial vacancy, the Commission will advertise the vacancy and elicit applications of qualified persons to fill the vacancy and recommend to the Governor a short list of individuals that it finds are qualified for each judicial vacancy. The Commission was formed by Executive Order.

"I was privileged to serve the State of Georgia for 16 years, and I am deeply honored to have been asked by the Governor to serve the state again on this very important commission. I will work very hard with the Commission to recommend to the Governor the highest quality of judicial nominees possible," said Michael Bowers.

The Commission members are as follows:

• Michael J. Bowers, Chairman - Former Georgia Attorney General.
• Thurbert Baker, Attorney General of Georgia.
• Karen Baynes - Director of the Carl Vinson Institute's Governmental Services Division at the University of Georgia and a former associate juvenile court judge, Athens, GA.
• James Franklin - Partner with Franklin, Taulbee, Rushing, Snipes & Marsh, P.C. since 1973 in Statesboro, GA, former State Bar President (2002) and former nominee to Federal District Court.
• Allen Hammontree - Partner with Goddard, Thames, Hammontree & Bolding, LLC, in Dalton, GA, former 3-term State Representative, serving on the House Judiciary Committee and the Chief Justice's Indigent Defense Commission.
• William Hill - Partner with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP in Atlanta, GA and former Superior Court Judge of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit.
• Jim Kelly - Private practice, James P. Kelly, III, P.C. in Atlanta, GA.
• Ed Lindsey - Founding partner with Goodman McGufey Aust & Lindsey, LLP in Atlanta, GA.
• Mike Long - Partner with O'Neal Long & Hall in Warner Robins, GA. and County Attorney for Houston County, GA.
• Leslie Mattingly - Former Master Commissioner, Indiana Superior Court.
• Quincy McWilliams - Community Activist, Bogart, GA.
• Dan Ponder - Former Georgia State Representative and recent 2003 Profile in Courage Award winner in recognition of his passionate speech in support of hate-crime legislation before the Georgia Legislature.
• Bobby Reeves - Attorney in private practice, Swainsboro, GA.
• Mike Russ - Partner at King & Spalding in Atlanta, GA, a Trustee of the Metropolitan Atlanta Crime Commission, and a board member of Ministries to Women, a home for battered women and their children.
• Ralph "Rusty" Simpson - Partner with Simpson and Cross in Tifton, GA.
• Frank Strickland - Partner with Strickland Brockington Lewis, LLP in Atlanta, GA and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation.
• Jerome Strickland - Attorney with Jones, Cork & Miller in Macon, GA.
• Emory Wilkerson - Supervising lead attorney with State Farm Insurance Industries, Fayetteville, GA.