Gov. Nathan Deal swore in his appointees to three newly created positions on the Georgia Court of Appeals during a crowded ceremony Tuesday morning in the chambers of the House of Representatives.

The three new judges took their oaths in this order, creating their order of seniority on the now-15-member court: former Mountain Circuit District Attorney Brian Rickman, 38; former Appalachian Circuit Superior Court Judge Amanda Mercier, 40; and Nels Peterson, 37, former chief legal officer to the Georgia university system as well as counsel to the governor and Attorney General Sam Olens.

The new judges each spoke for a few minutes, mostly thanking mentors and family as well as the governor. They pledged to work hard, be fair and uphold the law, whether they agree with it or not.