Georgia: More Judges Stepping Down (Updated)

The judicial nominating commission is considering applicants for the vacancy that will be created by the July retirement of Justice George Carley. Since taking office, Governor Deal has made an unprecedented number of appointments to fill mid-term judicial vacancies. Though some vacancies have been created by retirements, most are due to judges stepping down in the face of misconduct allegations and investigations. (Since Governor Carter’s tenure in the early 1970s, Georgia governors have used nominating commissions established by executive order to advise them in appointing judges.) Civil rights and legal groups recently called for the governor to appoint more people of color to the bench.