Governor Kemp Announces Six Judicial Appointments

Atlanta, GA – Today, Governor Brian P. Kemp announced his appointment of Judge Verda Colvin to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court of Georgia. Colvin will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Harold D. Melton, effective July 1.

"It is an honor to appoint such an experienced and accomplished justice to our state's Supreme Court," said Governor Kemp. "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."

Judge Verda M. Colvin was appointed by Governor Brian P. Kemp to the Court of Appeals of Georgia and sworn in on April 10, 2020. Judge Colvin was the state’s first African-American female appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals by a Republican governor and will now be the first African-American female appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court by a Republican governor. Her appointment to the Superior Court by Governor Nathan Deal on April 16, 2014 made her the first African-American female judge in the Macon Judicial Circuit.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Judge 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 from University of Georgia School of Law.

Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge 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, GA. She also served as Assistant General Counsel at Clarke-Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA.

In 2019 she was appointed by the Georgia Supreme Court to serve on the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC). During her tenure as a Superior Court judge she served on the Council of Accountability Court Judges (CACJ) on the Funding Committee as well as formerly serving as Committee Chair for Accountability and Treatment Courts and the CACJ Executive Committee. She was serving as co-chair of the Rules Committee with CSCJ at the time of her appointment by Governor Kemp. She was formerly on Governor Nathan Deal’s Criminal Justice Reform Committee and the Law Enforcement Task Force Committee. Judge Colvin is a member of several organizations and boards: Macon Bar Association, American Bar Association (ABA), Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA), Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL), Gate City Bar- Judicial Section, William A. Bootle American Inn of Court, Charles Weltner Family Inn of Court, the Rotary-Downtown Club, Board of Trustees for Mount de Sales Academy (Chair of Board 2021), Jack and Jill of America-Macon Chapter (Associate), Chisholm Leadership Academy Board of Directors, Board of Directors for the Fuller Center for Housing in Macon (formerly President 2018-2021), Regional Partnership Council of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia, Community Partnership Board, Co-chair of ONEMACON 2.0, Judicial Council Standing Committee on Grants, Access to Justice Committee (A2J) member, and formerly CSCJ Bench & Bar and Legislative Committees. Judge Colvin also serves on the Macon-Bibb Citizen Advocacy Board Member (MBCA) and as a mentor/advocate. Judge Colvin is a proud Leadership Macon 2010 Graduate.

Judge Colvin has numerous awards and honors including The Young Lawyer Division of the State Bar of Georgia Distinguished Judicial Award (2020-21), The Honorable Debra Bernes Community Volunteer Award (2021) by GAWL (Georgia Association for Women Lawyers), Tradition of Excellence Award as a Judge by The General Practice and Trial Section of the State Bar of Georgia (2019), Middle Georgia Association of Women Lawyers as Outstanding Woman Lawyer of the Year (2019), The House of Hope-Women’s History Month Award (2019), NAACP President’s Award (2018), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Pearls of Service Award (2017), Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Citizen of the Year (2016 and 2017), Career Women’s Network Woman of Achievement (2016), Georgia Orthodox Missionary Baptist Association Community Service Award (2015), and Leadership Macon’s Robert F. Hatcher Distinguished Alumni Award as a Community Leader (2015). Judge Colvin also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Mercer School of Law. Finally, she is a member of First Baptist Church where she serves as a children’s Sunday school teacher and on the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team.

She is also the proud mother of two children, Weston and Taylor. She is married to Nathaniel Walker with whom she shares two other children.

Governor Brian P. Kemp also announced his appointment of Andrew Pinson to fill the Court of Appeals vacancy. Pinson will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of the Honorable Verda Colvin to the Supreme Court of Georgia.

Andrew Pinson most recently served as Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General. In this role he oversaw the office’s appellate and multi-state 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 multi-state litigation and federal appellate matters, including in cases before the United States Supreme Court. Before joining the Department of Law, Andrew was a part of the Issues and Appeals practice at Jones Day in Atlanta, where he focused on appellate litigation and complex trial litigation. He represented clients in state and federal courts in matters involving constitutional law, statutory interpretation, federal preemption, open records, family law, products liability, criminal law, patent law, jury issues, civil procedure and class actions. Andrew 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. A Georgia native, Andrew received a B.B.A. in Finance summa cum laude from the University of Georgia. He received his J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law. While at Georgia Law, he served as Executive Articles Editor for the Georgia Law Review. He is currently a member of the Law School’s Young Alumni/Alumnae Council.

Governor Brian P. Kemp also announced his appointment of Chuck Eaton to fill the Superior Court vacancy in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit. Eaton will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of the Honorable Shawn Ellen LaGrua effective January 7, 2021. The Atlanta Judicial Circuit is comprised solely of Fulton County.

Chuck Eaton holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama and a law degree from the University of Georgia State. 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.

Eaton is a graduate of the Coverdell Leadership Institute – a statewide organization founded by late U.S. Senator Paul D. Coverdell to strengthen leadership and political skills. Eaton lives in Atlanta with his wife Erika, their daughters Lydia and Lily, and their two rescue dogs.

Governor Brian P. Kemp also announced his appointment of Judge Rhonda Kreuziger to fill the Superior Court vacancy in the Griffin Judicial Circuit. Kreuziger will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Chris Edwards. The Griffin Judicial Circuit is comprised of Spalding, Pike, Fayette, and Upson Counties.

Rhonda Kreuziger holds her 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. She was an Assistant District Attorney for the Griffin Judicial Circuit from September 2002 to October 2003, and again from June 2004 to June 2006. Judge Kreuziger lives in Fayetteville.

Governor Brian P. Kemp also announced his appointment of Chaundra Lewis to fill the vacancy on the Henry County State Court. Lewis will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Ben W. Studdard, III, effective March 8, 2020.

Chaundra Lewis holds her Bachelor's degree from Spelman College and a law degree from the University of Memphis. Most recently, she has 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 from April 2020 to October 2020, and from March 2017 to March 2019. 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 a Staff Attorney at the State Court of Clayton County. She also worked as a sole practitioner at the Law Office of Chaundra D. Lewis. She lives with her husband and three children in McDonough.

Governor Brian P. Kemp also announced his appointment of Judge Kimberly Alexander to fill the vacancy on the Dekalb County State Court. Alexander will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Janis Gordon.

Kimberly A. Alexander most recently served as the Judge in Division C of the DeKalb County State Court- Traffic Division, which she was appointed to by Governor Kemp in 2019. Judge Alexander was born in Augusta, Georgia, and graduated from Lakeside High School in Evans, Georgia. Judge Alexander earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in English from Georgia State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law. After becoming a member of the State Bar of Georgia in November 2004, Judge Alexander immediately entered public service as a Superior Court Judicial Law Clerk in Richmond County, Georgia and Columbia County, Georgia. Judge Alexander previously served as an Assistant County Attorney for the Office of the Fulton County Attorney. In addition, Judge Alexander served as parliamentarian and legal counsel to the Fulton County Board of Tax Assessors. Judge Alexander 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.

Judge Alexander is a member of the Georgia Bar Association, Children of the Courts Standing Committee, DeKalb Bar Association, Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, Atlanta Bar Association, Gate City Bar Association, and Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. Judge Alexander is an active and proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and serves on the Executive Board and is an active member of the Stone Mountain Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Judge Alexander and her family reside in Decatur.