Georgia Official and Statistical Register 1983-84 - the Digital Library ...

SUPERIOR COURTS Alcovy Circuit— Newton and WaltonFor seventy years prior to the organization of the SupremeCourt, the Superior Courts of the various counties were thehighest courts of record in the state. At present there are onehundred fifty-nine Superior Courts, grouped into forty-fivecircuits. The Superior Courts have jurisdiction in all cases,except as otherwise provided in the Constitution. They haveexclusive jurisdiction over trials in felony cases, except in thecase of juvenile offenders as provided by law; in cases respectingtitle to land; in divorce cases; and in equity cases. The SuperiorCourts have such appellate jurisdiction, either alone or bycircuit or district, as provided by law (Constitution of 1983,Article 6, Section 4, Paragraph 1).The Superior Court judges and district attorneys are electedby the voters of the state at the same general elections at whichmembers of the General Assembly are elected. The term ofoffice of each is four years (except in the Atlanta JudicialCircuit which has eight year terms, Ga. Laws 1956, p. 636),beginning on the first day of January following the election.Vacancies in unexpired terms are filled by appointments of theGovernor until successors are elected at the next general election. The minimum qualifications for Superior Court judgesare age of thirty years, three years residence in the state, andseven years of legal practice. District attorneys must be residents of the state three years just preceding election orappointment; permanently reside in the circuit at the time ofelection or appointment; be twenty-five years of age and havebeen licensed to practice law in the Superior Courts for at leastthree years.Ga.L. 1968, p. 1567 changed the title of Solicitor General toDistrict Attorney. Ga. L. 1976, p. 586 (Sec. 38-41) changed thetitle Judge Emeritus to Senior Judge (eff. January 1,1977). TheJudicial Administrative Act (Ga. L. 1976, p. 782) provides forten judicial administrative districts under the jurisdiction of theSuperior Court judges presiding within the ten congressionaldistricts of the state.Thomas W. Ridgway, Monroe. Born March 10,1928 in Richmond Co., Ga. Graduated U. of Ga., LLB, 1957. Attorney,Shriner. Baptist. US Marine Corps, 1951-53. Solicitor, Western Circuit, 1964-72, resigned. Judge, Alcovy Circuit, April 25,1972-date. Chief Judge, ibid. Wife, former Hugolinde Habermann;5 children.Greeley EUis, Covington. Born May 27,1932 in Cook Co., Ga.Graduated US Military Academy, BS, 1953; Emory U. LawSchool, LLB(JD), 1959. Attorney, Episcopalian. US Army,1953-56. Judge, Alcovy Circuit, May 17, 1978-date. Wife,former Temple Berdan Wilson; 3 children.John M. Ott, Monroe. District Attorney, Alcovy Circuit,apptd. Oct. 3, 1984 (to succeed John T. Strauss, res.)-date.John T. Strauss, Covington. Born Aug. 13,1943 in Ft. Bragg,N.C. Graduated Ohio State U., BA, 1964; U. of Ga., LLB,1968. Attorney. Phi Kappa Theta. Catholic. Democrat. District Attorney, Alcovy Circuit, April 25, 1972-April 30, 1977,resigned; Sept. 16,1981-Sept. 30,1984, resigned. Wife, formerJeanette Kathryn Bahn; 4 children.Appalachian Circuit — Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens(Note These counties were part of Blue Ridge Circuit prior toJuly 1,1983)Bobby C. Milam, Blue Ridge. Born Dec. 15,1930 in Campbell(now Fulton) Co., Ga. Graduated U. of Ga., BA, 1957; U. ofGa. Law School, LLB, 1959. Attorney. Phi Sigma Alpha; PhiKappa Phi. Baptist. USMC, 1950-54. Asst. U.S. Attorney,Northern Dist., Ga., July 1961-Dec. 1965. Judge, AppalachianCircuit, July 1,1983-date. Wife, former Jacqueline Lee Cook; 3children.George W. Weaver, Jasper. District Attorney, AppalachianCircuit, July 1,1983-date.Superior Court Judges and District AttorneysBy Judicial CircuitsAlapaha Circuit Atkinson, Berrien, Clinch, Cook, LanierWilliam Daniel Knight, Sr., Nashville. Born March 2,1934 inBerrien Co., Ga. Graduated Valdosta State College, BS, 1955;U. of Ga. Law School, JD, 1958. Attorney. Kappa Alpha, PhiDelta Phi. Baptist. Ga. National Guard. Mbr., House of Rep.,1961-65. Judge, Alapaha Circuit, May 24, 1977-date. ChiefJudge, Jan. 1,1981 -date. Wife, former Jane Frances Stallings; 2children.Brooks E. Blitch, III, Homerville. Born Nov. 14,1934 in ClinchCo., Ga. Graduated U. of Ga., AB, 1956; John Marshall LawSchool, LLB, 1961. Attorney. Pi Kappa Alpha; Mason. Methodist. US Army (R), 1957-62. Judge, County Court, ClinchCo., 1969-77; Solicitor, ibid., M7-&1. Judge, Alapaha Circuit,Jan. 1, 1981-date. Wife, former Margaret Ann Herold; 3children.H.W. Lott, Lenox. Senior Judge, Alapaha Judicial Circuit,1981-date.Lew S. Barrow, Nashville. District Attorney, Alapaha Circuit,Jan. 1983-date.116Atlanta Circuit — FultonOsgood O. Williams, Atlanta. Born March 22, 1913 in TaliaferroCo., Ga. U. of Ga., LLB. Attorney. Baptist. Senator,1951-52. Judge, Civil Court of Fulton Co., Jan. 1963-Oct. 3,1968. Judge, Atlanta Circuit, Oct. 7, 1968-date. Chief Judge,ibid., June 1982-date. Wife, former Vivian Ivey; 2 children.Luther Aaron Alverson, Atlanta. Born Aug. 13,1907 in FultonCo., Ga. Graduated Emory U., 1929; Atlanta Law School,LLB, 1941. Attorney. Delta Theta Phi. Mason. Elk. Baptist.US Army-WW II, 1943^5. Mbr., House of Rep., 1948-52.Judge, Criminal Court of Fulton Co., 1952-56, resigned. Judge,Atlanta Circuit, Jan. 1, 1957-date. Chief Judge, ibid., July1980-June 1982. Wife, former Ruth Long; 2 children.Sam P. McKenzie, Atlanta. Born Oct. 30,1920 in MississippiCo., Ark. Graduated U. of Ga., LLB, 1944. Attorney. PhiDelta Theta, Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa. Catholic.Judge, Atlanta Circuit, Jan. 5, 1962-date; Chief Judge, ibid.,June 1976-June 1980. Wife, former Margaret Mundy, 4children.John Sholar Langford, Jr., Atlanta. Born July 4, 1931 inDeKalb Co., Ga. Graduated Auburn U., BS, 1953; Emory U.,LLB, 1958. Attorney. Episcopalian. USAF, 1953-55. Judge,Civil Court of Fulton Co., April 1966-Jan. 1968, resigned.Judge, Fulton Co. Juvenile Court, Jan. 1968-Jan. 1973. Judge,Atlanta Circuit, Jan. 1, 1973-date. Wife, former MargaretHodgson EUis; 3 children.