Governor fills judicial openings

Jul. 27—ATLANTA — In addition to the appointment of Judge Verda Colvin to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court of Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp made five additional judicial appointments last week.

Colvin will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Harold D. Melton.

"It is an honor to appoint such an experienced and accomplished justice to our state's Supreme Court," Kemp said. "With Justice Colvin on the bench, Georgia's highest court is gaining an immensely talented and principled judge who will help guide it in the years to come."

Born and raised in Atlanta, Colvin attended D.M. Therrell High School in Georgia's capital city. She received her bachelor of arts dual degree in Government and Religion from Sweet Briar College in Virginia and her juris doctorate degree from University of Georgia School of Law.

Prior to her appointment to the bench, Colvin was an assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of Georgia. Preceding her service with the federal government, she was an assistant district attorney in Clayton County. She also served as assistant general counsel at Clarke-Atlanta University in Atlanta.

Kemp also announced his appointment of Andrew Pinson to fill the Court of Appeals vacancy left by Colvin.

Pinson most recently served as solicitor general in the office of the Attorney General. In this role he oversaw the office's appellate and multistate litigation in state and federal courts. He also collaborated on all phases of significant litigation with other attorneys at the Department of Law and advised the Attorney General concerning matters of national interest that may have implications for the state of Georgia.

He previously served as deputy solicitor general, where he was the solicitor general's primary advisor for multistate litigation and federal appellate matters, including cases before the United States Supreme Court. Before joining the Department of Law, Pinson was a part of the Issues and Appeals practice at Jones Day in Atlanta, where he focused on appellate litigation and complex trial litigation.

Pinson served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas on the United States Supreme Court, and before that, to then-Chief Judge David Sentelle on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

The governor also announced his appointment of Chuck Eaton to fill the Superior Court vacancy in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit.

Eaton holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama and a law degree from Georgia State University. In 2018, he was elected to his third term on the Georgia Public Service Commission. He was first elected in December 2006. In 2012, after Eaton was re-elected to a second term on the commission, he was named PSC chairman. In 2014, his fellow commissioners re-elected him to a second two-year term as chairman. He also served as chair in 2008. Prior to his service on the commission, Eaton worked in real estate in Atlanta.

Judge Rhonda Kreuziger was selected by Kemp to fill the Superior Court vacancy in the Griffin Judicial Circuit, which comprises Spalding, Pike, Fayette, and Upson counties.

Kreuziger holds a bachelor's degree from Northeastern State University and a law degree from the John Marshall Law School. She has served as an associate Juvenile Court judge since August 2020. She previously served as chief judge of the city of Fayetteville Municipal Court from July 2018 to August 2020. From June 2006 to August 2020, she was a criminal law, family law, and general civil litigation Attorney at the Kreuziger Law Firm.

Chaundra Lewis was named by the governor to fill the vacancy on the Henry County State Court.

Lewis holds a bachelor's degree from Spelman College and a law degree from the University of Memphis. Most recently, she served as the deputy chief assistant district attorney in the Henry County District Attorney's Office since October 2020. She previously served as assistant district attorney in the Henry County District Attorney's Office. Her other experience includes time as the deputy assistant solicitor general at the Fulton County solicitor general's office, a senior assistant solicitor general and deputy chief assistant solicitor general at the Clayton County solicitor general's office, and as a staff attorney in the State Court of Clayton County.

Kimberly Alexander was selected by Kemp to fill the vacancy on the Dekalb County State Court.

Alexander most recently served as the Judge in Division C of the DeKalb County State Court — Traffic Division, a position she was appointed to by Kemp in 2019. Alexander was born in Augusta and graduated from Lakeside High School in Evans. She earned a bachelor's degree, cum laude, in English from Georgia State University and a juris doctorate degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.

After becoming a member of the State Bar of Georgia in November 2004, Alexander entered public service as a Superior Court Judicial Law Clerk in Richmond and Columbia counties. She previously served as an assistant county attorney for the office of the Fulton County attorney. In addition, Alexander served as parliamentarian and legal counsel to the Fulton County Board of Tax Assessors.

Alexander also previously served as a legal officer for the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, represented Georgia Department of Family and Children Services as an associate with Brown, Geiger & Associates, represented children as a Fulton County child advocate attorney, handled education law cases as an associate with Brock, Clay, Calhoun & Rogers, and served as an Assistant Solicitor General in the Cobb County Solicitor General's Office.