[caption id="attachment_99781" align="alignnone" width="767"]Magnifying glass hovering over an isolated, blue silhouette amid other white silhouttes, Credit: Travis Wolfe/Shutterstock.com (Credit: Travis Wolfe/Shutterstock.com)[/caption] The search is on to find qualified jurists to fill nine vacancies on state and superior court benches throughout the Peach State. Following the elevation and resignations of six judges along with the Legislature's creation of three new judgeships, the Judicial Nominating Commission of Georgia is seeking nominations and applications. Openings include the state courts of Clarke and Clayton counties, and the superior courts of the Atlanta, Blue Ridge, Coweta, Lookout Mountain, Mountain and South Georgia judicial circuits. "Nominations must be received by the commission no later than September 23, 2022," read a statement by the JNC. "Applications must be received by the commission on or before October 7, 2022."

'Pass on to Someone New'

[caption id="attachment_99792" align="alignright" width="200"]Judge William Judge William "Bill" Hamrick III, State-wide Business Court. (Courtesy photo)[/caption] With the exception of former Coweta State Court Judge William "Bill" Hamrick's appointment to the State-wide Business Court in August, five judicial vacancies have been created by judges' impending resignations. Atlanta Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Christopher S. Brasher is set to retire Dec. 1 after 16 years on the Fulton County Superior Court bench. "It has been my honor to serve by doing all there is to do in this job. It has at times been humbling and challenging, no doubt; but above all it has been rewarding and fulfilling," Brasher's Jan. 28 resignation letter read. "I am proud of the work done and the lives impacted by the awesome efforts this job demands. It is now time to pass that opportunity on to someone new." Just south in Clayton County, Chief Judge Linda S. Cowen will hang up her black robe on Dec. 31 after 26 years on the state court bench. She submitted her letter of resignation to the governor on July 1. About 80 miles northeast, Clarke County State Court Chief Judge Ethelyn Simpson is preparing to close the book on 14 years of service with the court. She's set to resign on Dec. 31. "Serving as a state court judge has been the highest honor and privilege of my professional career," Simpson wrote in her resignation letter dated July 25. "The decision to retire has not been an easy one."

Slideshow: These Judges Are Resigning

  In northwest Georgia, Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Judge Ralph Van Pelt will resign effective Dec. 1 after a 26-year stint on the superior court bench. In a resignation letter submitted to Gov. Brian Kemp on Feb. 18, Van Pelt announced plans to "reenter the private practice of law." "I soon will have been practicing law for 42 years," Van Pelt wrote. "By the time I leave office in November, I will have had the pleasure of serving some 36 years of that as an assistant district attorney, the elected district attorney and superior court judge of this circuit." Some 330 miles south, Chief Judge J. Kevin Chason is set to depart the South Georgia Judicial Circuit on Nov. 13 after almost 14 years of superior court service. He called his service on the superior court bench "an honor and a privilege." "I have found the work challenging and meaningful," Chason wrote in his resignation letter dated May 10. In their resignation letters, both Brasher and Simpson requested gubernatorial appointments as senior judges. On the other hand, Van Pelt expressly asked not to be appointed senior judge status, while Chason and Cowen did not specify a request when informing the governor of their impending departures from the bench.

Read the Judges' Resignation Letters

New Judgeships

In the Blue Ridge and Mountain judicial circuits, the JNC is looking to fill newly created judgeships following the Legislature's passing of HB 56 and SB 395, respectively. The South Georgia Judicial Circuit also garnered a new judgeship under HB 624. To be considered for any of the nine judgeships, jurists must be nominated or complete and return an application packet. "Applicants selected for an interview will be notified of the date, time, and location of their interview," read a JNC statement. "The Commission will select and recommend to the governor a short list from those applicants interviewed and found to be 'qualified' or 'well qualified' for this position."