Macon-Bibb’s very own Judge Verda Colvin will soon sit on the bench of Georgia’s highest court. On Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Governor Brian Kemp selected Judge Colvin to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Harold D. Melton.
“It is an honor to appoint such an experienced and accomplished justice to our state’s Supreme Court,” said Governor Kemp. “With Justice Colvin on the bench, Georgia’s highest court is gaining an immensely talented and principled judge who will help guide it in the years to come.”
In April 2020, Governor Kemp swore Judge Colvin into the Court of Appeals of Georgia, making her the first African-American female appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals. Now, she will be the first African-American female appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court by a Republican governor. Before all of this, she was the first African-American female judge in the Macon Judicial Circuit.
“I’m happy that this is another thing that Macon has to tout as something to remind us of who we are and how important we are in the grand scheme of things for the state of Georgia,” said Judge Colvin.
Although Judge Colvin was born in Atlanta, she calls Macon home. She first made her way down to Macon in 1999 and fell in love with the city. Although her career had the possibility of taking her to many other places in the state and country, she says there was something about Macon that felt like home.
“I worked in Columbus for a year because that’s where I was assigned to, but when I was able to come back to Macon, I thought, I’m not going to leave this city,” said Judge Colvin. “I can’t ask for anything better here. I decided to stay and be a part of Macon and making it better than what it was. I would add to all of the beauty Macon had.”
Judge Colvin did go on to do amazing things in Macon by always staying involved in her community. To this day, she is still balancing her work life and involvements organizations, groups, and on boards. Now, she says she may have a little more on her plate as she transitions into her new role but is looking forward to it. And most importantly she wants everyone to know “I am a Maconite and I am here to stay.”
Judge Colvin will be sworn in Thursday, July 29.
About Judge Verda Colvin:
In 2019 she was appointed by the Georgia Supreme Court to serve on the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC). During her tenure as a Superior Court judge she served on the Council of Accountability Court Judges (CACJ) on the Funding Committee as well as formerly serving as Committee Chair for Accountability and Treatment Courts and the CACJ Executive Committee. She was serving as co-chair of the Rules Committee with CSCJ at the time of her appointment by Governor Kemp. She was formerly on Governor Nathan Deal’s Criminal Justice Reform Committee and the Law Enforcement Task Force Committee. Judge Colvin is a member of several organizations and boards: Macon Bar Association, American Bar Association (ABA), Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA), Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL), Gate City Bar- Judicial Section, William A. Bootle American Inn of Court, Charles Weltner Family Inn of Court, the Rotary-Downtown Club, Board of Trustees for Mount de Sales Academy (Chair of Board 2021), Jack and Jill of America-Macon Chapter (Associate), Chisholm Leadership Academy Board of Directors, Board of Directors for the Fuller Center for Housing in Macon (formerly President 2018-2021), Regional Partnership Council of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia, Community Partnership Board, Co-chair of ONEMACON 2.0, Judicial Council Standing Committee on Grants, Access to Justice Committee (A2J) member, and formerly CSCJ Bench & Bar and Legislative Committees. Judge Colvin also serves on the Macon-Bibb Citizen Advocacy Board Member (MBCA) and as a mentor/advocate. Judge Colvin is a proud Leadership Macon 2010 Graduate.
Judge Colvin has numerous awards and honors including The Young Lawyer Division of the State Bar of Georgia Distinguished Judicial Award (2020-21), The Honorable Debra Bernes Community Volunteer Award (2021) by GAWL (Georgia Association for Women Lawyers), Tradition of Excellence Award as a Judge by The General Practice and Trial Section of the State Bar of Georgia (2019), Middle Georgia Association of Women Lawyers as Outstanding Woman Lawyer of the Year (2019), The House of Hope-Women’s History Month Award (2019), NAACP President’s Award (2018), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Pearls of Service Award (2017), Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Citizen of the Year (2016 and 2017), Career Women’s Network Woman of Achievement (2016), Georgia Orthodox Missionary Baptist Association Community Service Award (2015), and Leadership Macon’s Robert F. Hatcher Distinguished Alumni Award as a Community Leader (2015). Judge Colvin also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Mercer School of Law. Finally, she is a member of First Baptist Church where she serves as a children’s Sunday school teacher and on the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team.