Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Carla Wong McMillian (left) moved from the state's intermediate court to its Supreme Court. Macon Judge Verda M. Colvin has been appointed to the state Court of Appeals. (Courtesy photos)

Gov. Brian Kemp made historic judicial appointments Friday to the Georgia Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.

Kemp moved Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Carla Wong McMillian up from the intermediate court to the Supreme Court, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Robert Benham, the first African American to serve on the state's high court. The appointment gives the high court two women out of nine justices. Until now, Justice Sarah Warren was the lone woman on the court. Only three others have served there in the state's history.

At the same time, Kemp named Macon Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Verda M. Colvin to the Court of Appeals to replace McMillian, giving that 15-member court its second African American woman. In announcing the news Friday, Kemp noted that Colvin "will become the state's first African-American female appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals by a Republican governor."

Until now, the Court of Appeals had one African American woman, Judge M. Yvette Miller.

Also Friday, the governor named Henry County Superior Court Judge John A. "Trea" Pipkin III to the Court of Appeals, replacing the late Judge Stephen Goss, who died last year.

McMillian's ascent is doubly historic. She becomes the first Asian Pacific American ever to serve there. She broke the same barrier on the intermediate court, where she took office in January 2013, appointed by then-Gov. Nathan Deal. When she was elected for the first time to that office in 2014, she became the first Asian American ever to win a statewide office in Georgia.

Before that appointment, she served as a judge for the Fayette County State Court, appointed in 2010 by then-Gov. Sonny Perdue. McMillian was previously an associate and then partner with Sutherland Asbill & Brennan. She served as law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

McMillian earned her bachelor's degree from Duke University and law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. She and her family live in Tyrone.

Deal appointed Colvin as a judge on the Macon Judicial Circuit Superior Court in 2014. Previously, she served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, assistant district attorney for the Clayton County District Attorney's Office, assistant general counsel for Clark Atlanta University, assistant solicitor for the Solicitor's Office in Athens-Clarke County, and as an associate for Ferguson, Stein, Watt, Wallas and Gresham.

Colvin received her bachelor's degree from Sweet Briar College and law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. Colvin and her family reside in Macon.

Deal appointed Pipkin to the Henry County Superior Court in 2018. Previously, he served as solicitor general in McDonough. He is also an adjunct professor at Gordon State College. He previously served as assistant district attorney for the Flint Circuit District Attorney's Office and as an adjunct professor of law at the Emory University School of Law.

Pipkin earned his associate's degree from Reinhardt College, bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia and law degree from Georgia State University College of Law. He and his wife live in McDonough.

Former Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears, the first woman on the state high court and its second African American, said Friday, "I know both Judge McMillian and Judge Colvin. Both are excellent jurists, and will serve with honor and distinction. I am also pleased to see that the Governor continues to be mindful of diversity in his appointments. I do not know Judge Pipkin, but I look forward to getting to know him soon."

The Daily Report has posted the application packets of all three new judges. Here are the links: McMillian, Colvin, Pipkin.