Verda Colvin sworn in as Justice of the Georgia Supreme Courtroom |

ATLANTA – Verda M. Colvin was officially sworn in as a Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court.

Governor Brian Kemp appointed the Georgia Court of Appeal Justice to the state’s highest court on July 20 to occupy the seat of former Chief Justice Harold D. Melton, who retired on July 1. The governor took the oath of office in the House of Representatives Chamber of the State Capitol Building.

“I vow to every judge and citizen of Georgia to be an avid law student, open and willing to continually learn from my peers,” said Colvin. “Equally important, I will always remember that the embodiment of the law must be tempered with a reminder that people and businesses alike are at the heart of any opinion drawn up by the highest court in our state.”

A number of dignitaries attended the ceremony, including Leah Ward Sears, the court’s first African-American female chief judge. Colvin is the first African American woman to be appointed to the state’s highest court by a Republican governor. Most recently she worked at the Court of Appeal, to which Gov. Kemp appointed her in April 2020. Prior to joining the Appeal Bank, she served as a Supreme Court Justice on the Macon Judicial Circuit for nearly six years.

“We are delighted that Verda Colvin is named as our newest judge to the Supreme Court,” said Chief Justice David E. Nahmias. “Justice Colvin brings us great experiences and perspectives and she is a wonderful person too. We look forward to working together to uphold the rule of law and administer the judicial system in our state. “

Colvin said she discovered her preference for court hearings early in her career as an assistant attorney in the Athens-Clarke district. From there, she worked as Assistant General Counsel at Clark Atlanta University and as Assistant District Attorney in Clayton County. Prior to becoming a judge, she was the U.S. Assistant Attorney in the Middle District of Georgia, where she prosecuted a variety of criminal offenses, from drug trafficking to white collar crime.

Colvin is a member of several professional and civic bodies including The Order of Barristers, Macon Bar Association, American Bar Association (ABA), Rotary Club of Atlanta, Jack and Jill of America – Macon Chapter, The Chisholm Leadership Academy Board of Directors, and the Regional Partnership Council of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Colvin attended Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School. She earned her bachelor’s degrees in government and religion from Sweet Briar College, Virginia and her doctorate in law from the University of Georgia School of Law.

She lives in Macon with her family.