Supreme Court of Georgia Decisions

Nine justices serve on the Georgia Supreme Court, which expanded from seven justices in 2017. Under the Georgia Constitution, the Court has exclusive jurisdiction over appeals involving issues of constitutional law or cases contesting elections. It has general jurisdiction over appeals in cases certified for its review, as well as cases involving divorce or alimony, title to real estate, wills or equity, the death penalty, and writs of habeas corpus or certiorari. More broadly, if the Court finds that a case before a Georgia Court of Appeals involves a matter of great public importance, it may assert jurisdiction over that case.

A candidate for a seat on the Court needs only to be a resident of Georgia who has been licensed to practice law in the state for at least the last seven years. Each new justice is selected through a non-partisan election, which means that the candidates are listed on the ballot without their party affiliation. Once they are elected, a justice serves a six-year term. If a seat becomes vacant before the end of a term, the Governor of Georgia will appoint an interim replacement by using the assisted appointment method. This means that the Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission compiles a list of candidates, and the Governor likely will select the interim justice from that list, although this is not technically required. The Governor appoints the 18 members of the Commission. Their list generally will consist of at least five candidates. The justices elect the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court from among their members, and the position rotates among them.

A justice may face removal, retirement, or other forms of discipline if the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission determines that discipline is appropriate. However, the Georgia Supreme Court makes the final decision on removal or retirement. A justice also may be removed if they are impeached by the Georgia House of Representatives and convicted by the Georgia State Senate in a two-thirds vote.

Browse Opinions From the Supreme Court of Georgia

Recent Decisions From the Supreme Court of Georgia
PUGH v. THE STATE  
Date: March 14, 2024
Docket Number: S23A1063

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, Andre Pugh appealed his conviction for the murder of his wife and the possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Pugh challenged the trial court's denial of his motion to suppress evidence…

BAKER v. THE STATE  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S23A0860

Justia Opinion Summary: In the Supreme Court of Georgia, the appellant Morgan Baker was convicted of malice murder in connection with the shooting death of Tamarco Head. Baker appealed the conviction, arguing that the trial court erred by…

THE STATE v. LEDBETTER  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Numbers: S23A0900, S23X0901

Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves two appeals from rulings in a pretrial order related to the indictment of John Ledbetter for two separate murders. The State appeals the trial court's decision to grant Ledbetter’s motion to suppress…

MCCULLUM v. THE STATE  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S23A0927

Justia Opinion Summary: In November 2019, Samuel Earl McCullum was convicted of the 1998 rape and murder of Monica Blackwell and the 1999 rape of another woman identified as C.C. McCullum appealed, asserting that the evidence presented in court…

PALMER v. THE STATE  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S23A1091

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, Willie Williams Palmer appealed his 2023 convictions for malice murder and other crimes related to the shooting deaths of his estranged wife, Brenda Jenkins Palmer, and his 15-year-old stepdaughter,…

SINKFIELD v. THE STATE  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S23A1201

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, a Georgia Supreme Court decision, the defendant, Remond Sinkfield, was convicted of felony murder and other crimes related to the death of Levi Atkinson. Atkinson died after either jumping or being pushed…

CITY OF WINDER v. BARROW COUNTY  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S23G0341

Justia Opinion Summary: In a dispute between the City of Winder and Barrow County, Georgia, the Supreme Court of Georgia addressed the interpretation of the Services Delivery Strategy (SDS) Act, with regard to the delivery of services to county…

MCKINNEY v. THE STATE  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S23G0448

Justia Opinion Summary: In August 2021, a Fulton County grand jury indicted defendant Jerrion McKinney on various charges relating to his alleged participation in an "armed takeover" of an area in Atlanta, including twelve counts of violating…

CRARY v. CLAUTICE  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S24A0004

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the Supreme Court of Georgia ruled on an appeal by Allison Crary, who challenged three orders from a revocation proceeding. The orders were: denial of a motion to declare a grandparent visitation statute…

JENNINGS v. THE STATE  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S24A0095

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the appellant, Savanna Jennings, was convicted of malice murder and related charges in relation to the shooting death of her grandfather, Otha Perrin Sr. The jury found her guilty on all counts, and she was…

MADERA v. THE STATE  
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S24A0148

Justia Opinion Summary: In a case before the Supreme Court of Georgia, Francisco Javier Madera, who was convicted of the murder of Juan Carlos Zambrano, appealed his conviction on five grounds. He argued that the trial court erred by denying…

IN THE MATTER OF ANDREA JO ANNE DAVID-VEGA
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S24Y0099
IN THE MATTER OF SHAQUANDRA A. WOODS
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: S24Y0566
WOODS v. BARNES  
Date: February 20, 2024
Docket Numbers: S23A0821, S23A0822

Justia Opinion Summary: In Georgia, the Fair Dismissal Act (FDA) offers certain protections to public school teachers after they have fulfilled a contract for the fourth consecutive school year with the same local board of education. This case…

GREEN v. THE STATE  
Date: February 20, 2024
Docket Number: S23A0840

Justia Opinion Summary: Donald Berry Green appealed his sentence for felony murder and aggravated assault related to the shooting death of Andre Winter. He entered a guilty plea, but years later, began filing motions for an out-of-time appeal.…

The opinions published on Justia State Caselaw are sourced from individual state court sites. These court opinions may not be the official published versions, and you should check your local court rules before citing to them. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site, or the information linked to on the state site.

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

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