The Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission has recommended attorneys Dawn Baskin, Alison Burelson, Fredric Bright, and Brenda Holbert Trammell as prospective judicial appointees for the 2 vacant Judgeships in the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit. The two new judges would replace Judge Hulane George, who resigned, and the late Judge James Cline.
It is interesting to note that of the 4 present nominees, 3 of them are women, and only one a man. The one man, Fred Bright, is presently serving as the District Attorney for the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, the job for which Bright had defeated Judge Cline, who had been appointed to the DA’s position, and served as such, before being defeated by Bright, an assistant DA in the office, for the position in the next regular election. Cline was later appointed a Superior Court Judge for the circuit.
Usually the District Attorney for the circuit would be expected to have the inside track for the appointment, and that has been the case for many judgeship appointments in various circuits in the past. However, that is not necessarily the case these days where there is an ongoing attempt to bring more women and minorities into such positions.
Final interviews by the Governor’s office will be held 2 weeks from today, on December 17th. Assuming that all 4 of the candidates are qualified, our Republican Governor may (or may not) want to get what credit is available for his party by appointing a female to both judgeships. We don’t know if this is true or has even been considered, but just sayin’. We will just have to wait and see what happens.
The Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit is made up of Baldwin, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jones, Morgan, Putnam and Wilkinson counties. The new Judges would be two of the 5 that serve the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit.
It is interesting to note that of the 4 present nominees, 3 of them are women, and only one a man. The one man, Fred Bright, is presently serving as the District Attorney for the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, the job for which Bright had defeated Judge Cline, who had been appointed to the DA’s position, and served as such, before being defeated by Bright, an assistant DA in the office, for the position in the next regular election. Cline was later appointed a Superior Court Judge for the circuit.
Usually the District Attorney for the circuit would be expected to have the inside track for the appointment, and that has been the case for many judgeship appointments in various circuits in the past. However, that is not necessarily the case these days where there is an ongoing attempt to bring more women and minorities into such positions.
Final interviews by the Governor’s office will be held 2 weeks from today, on December 17th. Assuming that all 4 of the candidates are qualified, our Republican Governor may (or may not) want to get what credit is available for his party by appointing a female to both judgeships. We don’t know if this is true or has even been considered, but just sayin’. We will just have to wait and see what happens.
The Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit is made up of Baldwin, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jones, Morgan, Putnam and Wilkinson counties. The new Judges would be two of the 5 that serve the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit.
