Georgia Supreme Court Justice Robert Benham. (Photo: John Disney/ALM)

The Georgia Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism has announced the recipients of the 21st Annual Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service.

The 21st annual Benham awards will be presented March 14 at the Omni Hotel Atlanta at CNN Center. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the awards ceremony dinner will begin at 7 p.m. The program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

By the time of the ceremony, the justice whose name the awards carry will have retired from the bench. Benham announced in December that he will leave his job March 1. He had previously planned to serve out his current term, which ends Dec. 31. Four candidates had begun campaigning for his job but switched gears after learning he would resign in time for Gov. Brian Kemp to appoint his replacement. They said they'd wait to hear who the governor picks.

"This has been a difficult decision. I have enjoyed every day of service to the people of Georgia, but after 34 years on the bench, it is time for me to step down," Benham said in December. "Once I was at peace with this decision, I wanted to let people know as soon as possible, especially those who were hoping to run in an open election. Furthermore, it is my hope that the timing of my retirement will cause minimal disruption to the court."

Benham was the first African American to serve on the Georgia Supreme Court, appointed in 1989 by friend and fellow Cartersville resident Gov. Joe Frank Harris. As an incumbent, Benham became the first African American ever elected statewide in Georgia. Only two more have followed him on the Supreme Court: former Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears and current Chief Justice Harold Melton. Sears retired after serving as chief and went into private practice.

The Benham district awards recipients for this year will go to:

• Donarell Rhea Green IV of Athens;
• Cobb County Superior Court Judge Robert Dale Leonard II of Marietta;
• Rita C. Spalding of Brunswick;
•  Jennifer Leigh Weizenecker of Atlanta;
• Connie L. Williford of Macon; and
• King & Spalding partner and former U.S. deputy attorney general Sally Quillian Yates of Atlanta.

The commission also will present two lifetime awards. One will go to Jacqueline Payne of Marietta. The other will honor trial lawyer Tommy Malone, who died in October at the age of 76.

Sponsorship opportunities and registration information will be provided on the council's website.