Wilkerson named to Judicial Nominating Commission

Emory Wilkerson of Fayetteville has been named to the state's Judicial Nominating Commission.

The appointment was announced this week by Gov. Sonny Perdue's office. Former state Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Mike Bowers will chair the commission, which makes nominations to fill vacancies on the Georgia Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Superior and State Courts.

Wilkerson, a supervising lead attorney with State Farm Insurance Industries, ran unsuccessfully for State Senate last fall.

A total of 18 members, all appointed by the governor, serve on the commission. In the event of a judicial vacancy, the Commission will advertise the vacancy and elicit applications of qualified persons to fill the vacancy and recommend to the Governor a short list of individuals that it finds are qualified for each judicial vacancy. The Commission was formed by Executive Order.

Other members, in addition to Bowers and Wilkerson, are:

Thurbert Baker, current Attorney General.

Karen Baynes, director of the Carl Vinson Institute's Governmental Services Division at the University of Georgia and a former associate juvenile court judge in Athens.

James Franklin, a partner with Franklin, Taulbee, Rushing, Snipes & Marsh, P.C. since 1973 in Statesboro; also a former State Bar President (2002) and former nominee to Federal District Court.

Allen Hammontree, a partner with Goddard, Thames, Hammontree & Bolding, LLC, in Dalton and a former 3-term State Representative, serving on the House Judiciary Committee and the Chief Justice's Indigent Defense Commission.

William Hill, a partner with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP in Atlanta and former Superior Court Judge of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit.

Jim Kelly, an attorney in private practice in Atlanta.

Ed Lindsey, a founding partner with Goodman McGufey Aust & Lindsey, LLP in Atlanta.

Mike Long, a partner with O'Neal Long & Hall in Warner Robins and County Attorney for Houston County.

Leslie Mattingly, a former master commissioner with the Indiana Superior Court.

Quincy McWilliams, a community activist in Bogart.

Dan Ponder, a former Georgia State Representative and recent 2003 Profile in Courage Award winner in recognition of his passionate speech in support of hate-crime legislation before the Georgia Legislature.

Bobby Reeves, an attorney in private practice in Swainsboro.

Mike Russ, a partner at King & Spalding in Atlanta, a Trustee of the Metropolitan Atlanta Crime Commission, and a board member of Ministries to Women, a home for battered women and their children.

Ralph "Rusty" Simpson, a partner with Simpson and Cross in Tifton.

Frank Strickland, a partner with Strickland Brockington Lewis, LLP in Atlanta and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation.

Jerome Strickland, an attorney with Jones, Cork & Miller in Macon.