Supreme Court of Georgia

The Supreme Court of Georgia is the highest court in Georgia. Its justices are chosen by nonpartisan election. This page lists every justice to serve on the court, current and former, with when they joined the bench and whom they succeeded.

Current bench verified against the court’s official roster, 2026-07-02.

Current justices

• NPChief JusticeNels S. Peterson2017
• CB Charles J. Bethel2018
• SW Sarah H. Warren2018
• JE John J. Ellington2019
• CM Carla McMillian2020
• VC Verda M. Colvin2021
• SL Shawn E. LaGrua2021
• AP Andrew A. Pinson2022
• BL Benjamin A. Land2025

Former justices

Justice	Years
Keith R. Blackwell	2012
David E. Nahmias	2009
Harold D. Melton	2005
PHP. Harris Hines	1995
HTHugh P. Thompson	1994
GCGeorge H. Carley	1993–2012
Carol W. Hunstein	1992–2013
Leah W. Sears	1992–2009
RBRobert Benham	1990
NFNorman S. Fletcher	1990–2005
WHWillis B. Hunt Jr.	1986–1995
RBRichard Bell	1982–1992
HGHardy Gregory Jr.	1981–1989
George T. Smith	1981–1991
Charles L. Weltner	1981–1992
HCHarold G. Clarke	1979–1994
JBJesse G. Bowles	1977–1981
TMThomas O. Marshall	1977–1989
HHHarold N. Hill	1975–1986
RHRobert Howell Hall	1974–1979
GIG Conley Ingram	1973–1977
WGWilliam B. Gunter	1972–1977
RJRobert Henry Jordan	1972–1982
PHPeyton Hawes	1970–1973
JFJule Wimberly Felton Sr.	1969–1972
JFJohn Eccleston Frankum	1967–1970
HUHiram K. Undercofler	1967–1981
Horace Elmo Nichols	1966–1980
JCJ Eugene Cook	1965–1967
BGBenning M. Grice	1960–1975
JQJoseph D. Quillian	1960–1966
Carlton Mobley	1954–1974
HSHomer Sutton	1954–1954
CWCharles W. Worrill	1953–1954
BABond Almand	1949–1972
JHJ Harold Hawkins	1949–1960
TCThomas S. Candler	1945–1966
THT Grady Head	1945–1965
WAWilliam Y. Atkinson Jr.	1943–1953
RBR. C. Bell	1943–1946
LWLee R. Wyatt	1943–1960
SHSamuel D. Hewlett	1942–1942
WDW Henry Duckworth	1938–1969
WJW Frank Jenkins	1937–1948

How a justice reaches this court. Justices of the Supreme Court of Georgia are chosen in nonpartisan elections to 6-year terms. Midterm vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointment, after which the appointee stands in a nonpartisan election. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any justice to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.

Source: Current roster: Supreme Court of Georgia — Justice Biographies (gasupreme.us) and CourtListener / Free Law Project (bulk data); selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data as of 2026-07-02 (official roster); historical bench 2026-03-31 (CourtListener bulk snapshot). Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).