Brian Kemp, governor of Georgia. (Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg)

The Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission has sent Gov. Brian Kemp shortlists to fill vacancies on the Atlanta, Cherokee and Gwinnett Judicial Circuit Superior Courts.

The governor now has on his desk three nominees for each of those positions.

The opening in the Cherokee Judicial Circuit comes from the death of Judge George Carey Nelson III of Cartersville on March 18. He had been practicing law since 1977. He served as Bartow County attorney for 21 years. Former Gov. Roy Barnes appointed Nelson to the Superior Court in 2001, where he served until his death.

The Gwinnett Judicial Circuit opening was created by the resignation of Judge Melodie Snell Conner. She became Gwinnett County's first full time female judge, first on the Magistrate Court in 1993, then on the State Court the same year.

The JNC said the governor's office will contact candidates to schedule interviews.

The candidates for Cherokee Judicial Circuit Superior Court are:

• Rosemary Greene – Cherokee Judicial Circuit district attorney
• Christopher Paul – Cherokee Judicial Circuit chief circuit public defender
• Jeffrey A. Watkins – founding shareholder of the Jeffrey Watkins law firm

The candidates for the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit Superior Court are:

• Angela Duncan – Gwinnett County Magistrate Court judge
• Laura Tate – Gwinnett County Magistrate Court judge
• Tadia Whitner – Gwinnett County Juvenile Court judge

The candidates for the Atlanta Judicial Circuit Superior Court are:

• Rachelle Carnesale – Cherokee County chief assistant district attorney
• Melynee Leftridge – Fulton County Magistrate Court judge
• Richard Moultrie, Jr. – Assistant U.S. Attorney, Office of the United States Attorney, Northern District of Georgia