[caption id="attachment_83262" align="alignnone" width="767"]Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Meng Lim on the left, and attorney Andrew B. Roper of Cedartown, GA on the right. Courtesy photos Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Meng Lim, left, and Andrew B. Roper of Cedartown, GA, right. Courtesy photos[/caption] The results are in. More than a dozen challengers attempted to unseat Georgia supreme and superior court judges, but only one succeeded. [caption id="attachment_83660" align="alignright" width="200"]Chief Judge Meng Lim of the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit Superior Court Chief Judge Meng Lim of the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit Superior Court[/caption] Securing 59.14% of the vote as of 12:30 PM Wednesday, Cedartown lawyer Andrew B. Roper has unseated incumbent Chief Judge Meng H. Lim for his Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit seat on the superior court bench. "While disappointed in the results, I am grateful for the outpouring of support," said Chief Judge Lim Wednesday. "From Cambodian refugee to Superior Court Judge, I really have lived the American Dream, and serving this community has been my highest and greatest honor." Meanwhile, 12 other challengers fell short of the votes needed to oust incumbent Supreme Court of Georgia Justice Verda M. Colvin, and sitting superior court judges in the Alapaha, Atlanta, Augusta, Cobb, Douglas, Flint, Gwinnett and Southern judicial circuits.

Winning Incumbents

Unlike the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit upset where incumbent Chief Judge Meng H. Lim failed to fend off a second challenge by Cedartown attorney Andrew B. Roper, a dozen other incumbents succeeded in securing re-election to their seats on various superior court benches.

See Who Kept Their Seat On The Bench

After succeeding in keeping her high court seat, Supreme Court of Georgia Justice Verda M. Colvin celebrated voters Wednesday. [caption id="attachment_82639" align="alignleft" width="300"] WINNER: Supreme Court of Georgia Justice Verda M. Colvin, left. DEFEATED: Veronica E. Brinson of Macon, right. Courtesy photos.[/caption] "I would like to thank Georgia for a resounding victory," Colvin said. "Winning every county in our State and securing over 1 million votes is the honor of a lifetime. I recognize this seat belongs to you, each citizen. I vow to continue to work with integrity and in excellence." Challenger Veronica Brinson also shared thoughts. "I didn't have the money to win, but I had the fortitude to try," Brinson said. "I became the first woman and minority to formally seek this position via election without first being appointed."

Notable Races

[caption id="attachment_82620" align="alignright" width="300"]Judge Chuck Eaton of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit on the left, Associate Judge Shalanda Miller of the Fulton County Juvenile Court on the right. WINNNER: Incumbent Atlanta Judicial Circuit Judge Chuck Eaton, left. DEFEATED: Fulton County Juvenile Judge Shalanda Miller, right. Courtesy photos.[/caption]

Two attention-grabbing, contested races in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit ended with both Fulton County Superior Court incumbents beating challengers at the polls.

With 96% of precincts reporting as of 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, election results posted online by the Georgia Secretary of State showed incumbent Judge Chuck Eaton projected to beat Fulton County Juvenile Judge Shalanda Miller with 57.53% of the vote. At the same time and with 64.87% of the vote, election results projected incumbent Judge Paige Reese Whitaker as victorious in protecting her seat on the superior court bench challenged by Associate Judge Allyson R. Pitts. [caption id="attachment_82532" align="alignleft" width="300"] WINNER: Incumbent Douglas Judicial Circuit Judge Cynthia Adams, left. DEFEATED: attorneys Corey Martin, center, and Ryan Williams, left. Courtesy photos.[/caption]

Meanwhile in the Douglas Judicial Circuit race, voters re-elected incumbent Judge Cynthia Adams to another term, but not before also voting for a candidate no longer in the race. Adams beat out Douglasville attorney challengers Corey Martin of Martin & Associates and, technically, Ryan C. Williams of The Ryan C. Williams Law Firm in Atlanta.

"I'd like to congratulate Judge Adams on her re-election and acknowledge Mr. Martin for a well-run race," Williams said Wednesday. "Having judicial representation that reflects the growth of Douglas County is critical to improving our justice system, and I am proud to have run alongside two distinguished leaders. Although I withdrew from the race, I think the results show that our campaign resonated strongly with voters, and Douglas County is ready for real, sensible, and impartial judicial representation on the bench. I look forward to making that a priority in my campaign for chief magistrate judge."

Earlier this month, Williams withdrew from the Douglas Judicial Circuit superior court race to instead replace Sylvia Wayfer Baker as the Douglas County Chief Magistrate Democratic candidate in the November general election. But with Williams' name remaining on the May 24 nonpartisan primary election ballot against Adams and Martin, the attorney secured the second most votes in the Douglas County Superior Court race.

Runoff Elections

[caption id="attachment_82530" align="alignleft" width="300"]Candidates running for a seat on the Cobb Judicial Circuit Superior Court bench vacated by retiring Judge Robert Flournoy III: (l-r) Sonja Brown, James Luttrell, Gerald Moore, Daniele Johnson, and Taneesha Marshall. Courtesy photos RUNOFF CANDIDATES: (left to right) Judge Sonja N. Brown versus attorney James Luttrell. DEFEATED: attorneys Gerald Moore, Daniele Johnson, and Taneesha Marshall. Courtesy photos.[/caption]

In the Cobb and Southern judicial circuits, vacancies created by retirement drew multiple candidates. The majority of votes went to two women, but not enough to secure victories outright.

Having secured less than 50% plus one vote to win, runoff elections will now take place June 21 pitting Cobb County Magistrate Judge Sonja N. Brown against attorney James K. Luttrell and Southern Circuit assistant district attorney Catherine Mims Smith against Valdosta attorney William Long Whitesell.     Correction: Having secured less than 50% plus one vote to win, runoff elections will now take place June 21 in the Cobb Judicial Circuit race for retiring Judge Robert E. Flournoy's seat and in the Southern Judicial Circuit's race to replace retired Judge James E. Hardy.