Gov. Kemp Announces Superior and State Court Appointments

ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the following judicial appointments: Matthew B. Bennett to the Superior Court of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy created by the passage of House Bill 55 (Act 171) (2025); Donald L. Montgomery, Jr., to the State Court of Bryan County, filling a vacancy created by the passage of House Bill 722 (Act 60) (2025); Torrey D. Smith to the State Court of Fulton County, filling a vacancy created by the passage of HB 625 (Act 208) (2025); and Robert D. “Bobby” Wolf to the State Court of Fulton County, filling a vacancy created by the passage of HB 625 (Act 208) (2025).

Matthew B. Bennett is a partner at the law firm of Bennett & Connell, LLC, where he has a litigation practice. Bennett also serves as the Solicitor for the Probate Courts of Cook, Lanier, and Atkinson counties, as well as the Municipal Courts of Nashville, Ray City, and Homerville.

Bennett attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and received a bachelor’s degree from University of Georgia. He received his J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law. Bennett serves on the Board of Directors of the Adel-Cook County Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit Bar Association. He also serves on the Cook County Student Attendance Committee and Cook Middle School Council.

Bennett and his wife, Kala, have two children and live in Cook County.

Donald L. Montgomery, Jr., serves as the Solicitor-General of Bryan County, where he prosecutes misdemeanor criminal cases in the Bryan County State Court. In addition, he is a partner with the law firm of Scheer, Montgomery & Call, P.C., handling criminal and administrative matters throughout coastal Georgia. Montgomery has provided extensive pro bono representation of law-enforcement officers involved in critical incidents.

Before entering the legal profession, Montgomery was a police officer. During his tenure in law enforcement, he earned Police Officer of the Year honors and received commendations for lifesaving actions in the line of duty.

Montgomery began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Eastern Judicial Circuit. He earned his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland. While working as a police officer, he obtained his J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Montgomery lives in Bryan County with his wife, Carolyn, and their three sons.

Torrey D. Smith serves as the Deputy City Attorney for the City of Atlanta, where he oversees the litigation and claims divisions of the Atlanta Law Department.

Smith has devoted his legal career to public service, working as a staff attorney to the Honorable T. Jackson Bedford, Jr., and Assistant District Attorney in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office before moving to the City of Atlanta Law Department. In 2019, Smith became an Attorney-Advisor with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to practice employment litigation. Smith returned to the City of Atlanta’s Law Department as Deputy City Attorney in 2024.

Smith began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Sidney Landau on the Connecticut Appellate Court.

Smith graduated from Morehouse College and Quinnipiac University School of Law.  He has volunteered his time preparing wills and advance directives for senior citizens and attends Elizabeth Baptist Church in Southwest Atlanta.

Robert D. “Bobby” Wolf serves as a Fulton County Magistrate Court judge.

Before coming to the Fulton County Magistrate Court, Judge Wolf was a prosecutor in the Cobb County Solicitor-General’s Office, Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, as well as a solo practitioner. 

Judge Wolf is immediate past president of the Georgia Council of Magistrate Court Judges and served on the Judicial Council of Georgia. He is a current State Bar of Georgia Board of Governors delegate for the Atlanta Circuit, as well as State Bar Access to Justice committee member. He is immediate past chair of the Judicial Section of the Atlanta Bar Association.

Judge Wolf teaches judges across the state on civil and criminal law issues through the Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education. Judge Wolf is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta Class of 2014 and past co-chair of its Criminal Justice and Public Safety program. He is a member of Lawyers Club of Atlanta.

Judge Wolf graduated cum laude from Washington & Lee University with a bachelor’s degree in politics and received his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Judge Wolf was born and raised in Fulton County. He is an Eagle Scout and former assistant scoutmaster, as well as a former president of the Garden Hills Civic Association.

Judge Wolf, his wife, and their child live in Atlanta. He is a lifetime member of The Temple.