Georgia Court of Appeals
There is one seat open on the Georgia Court of Appeals and SEVEN candidates. I'm sure the vast majority of you have no idea about any of the candidates, so I'm posting this op ed from the AJC from a debate that was held at my school earlier this week. It's a fair representation and I'll tell you who's getting my vote at the end.
During two debates this week among the seven candidates seeking an open seat on the Georgia Court of Appeals, we learned that Christopher McFadden has a black belt, Mike Sheffield has a sense of humor, Tamela Adkins scuba dives, Sara Doyle renovates houses, Perry McGuire rides a tractor, Bruce Edenfield lives in a log house in the woods and Michael Meyer von Bremen believes many citizens are unaware there’s even a race under way.
So does that information bring you any closer to a decision?
Probably not, which is the problem with electing judges. The candidates can’t - and shouldn’t - make promises on how they will rule, and they also can’t make overt political statements. As a result, too many voters make their decisions based on criteria such as who’s first on the ballot, which gives down-to-earth Gwinnett family practitioner Adkins a leg up, or who has the longest name, which gives Meyer von Bremen of Albany an edge. If the measures were affability and approachability, Sheffield would take the honors.
But let’s apply another sort of criteria: Who has the most experience as an appellate attorney and could get to up speed fastest, an important consideration since Georgia’s Court of Appeals is one of the busiest in the country?
That would be McFadden, a Decatur attorney who, as he noted at a debate Wednesday at John Marshall Law School, “wrote the book on it. Literally.” To back up his point, McFadden held up the book he co-authored, “Georgia Appellate Practice,” which is used by lawyers statewide and cited recently by the Georgia Supreme Court.
That book is based on far more than mere theory. Since 2000, McFadden calculated that he has handled more cases in the Court of Appeals than his six opponents combined.
What about criteria such as temperament and proven grace under fire? As one of the most nimble minds in the Legislature during his time as a state senator, Meyer von Bremen was noted for his incisiveness and his ability to maintain composure and civility during tough floor debates. He would likely make a fine judge.
In fact, several candidates bring backgrounds that suggest they’d be excellent jurists. Now living in north Georgia, Edenfield has the support of colleagues statewide, earning the highest ratings in a survey of members by the State Bar of Georgia. Edenfield’s varied experience as a special assistant attorney general suggests that he would be a fit and ready judge.
(Adkins - who did not fare as well in the poll - makes the reasonable point that Edenfield enjoys one of the more recognizable names in state legal circles, being the son of the late U.S. District Judge Newell Edenfield and cousin of U.S. District Judge B. Avant Edenfield.)
In both debates, Sara Doyle of Atlanta stood out for her appealing personal style and supple responses. Her relative youth - she is 40, which is young in judge terms - also distinguishes her from the pack. She’s been acclaimed as one of the state’s top female lawyers and specializes in civil litigation and education law.
In other words, voters and editorial boards have some good candidates to sift through, a chore that isn’t made easier by the fact that it’s hard to predict how a judicial candidate will perform once on the bench.
In this race, none of the candidates has served as a judge so there’s not a public record to study. Most of the candidates have relevant legal experience arguing cases in court, with the exception of McGuire, who has worked as general counsel for Chick-fil-A.
Based on temperament, intellect, experience and training, voters won’t go wrong with McFadden, Meyer von Bremen, Edenfield or Doyle. All are bright and have the respect of their colleagues, and there’s every reason to believe that any of the four would do an excellent job.
- Maureen Downey, for the editorial board (mdowney@ajc.com)
As of my now, my vote is for McFadden. He is widely acclaimed to be an expert of appellate practice and knows how that court operates from the other side of the bench.
I wish Doyle had a little more experience, but she has a very bright future ahead of her.
During two debates this week among the seven candidates seeking an open seat on the Georgia Court of Appeals, we learned that Christopher McFadden has a black belt, Mike Sheffield has a sense of humor, Tamela Adkins scuba dives, Sara Doyle renovates houses, Perry McGuire rides a tractor, Bruce Edenfield lives in a log house in the woods and Michael Meyer von Bremen believes many citizens are unaware there’s even a race under way.
So does that information bring you any closer to a decision?
Probably not, which is the problem with electing judges. The candidates can’t - and shouldn’t - make promises on how they will rule, and they also can’t make overt political statements. As a result, too many voters make their decisions based on criteria such as who’s first on the ballot, which gives down-to-earth Gwinnett family practitioner Adkins a leg up, or who has the longest name, which gives Meyer von Bremen of Albany an edge. If the measures were affability and approachability, Sheffield would take the honors.
But let’s apply another sort of criteria: Who has the most experience as an appellate attorney and could get to up speed fastest, an important consideration since Georgia’s Court of Appeals is one of the busiest in the country?
That would be McFadden, a Decatur attorney who, as he noted at a debate Wednesday at John Marshall Law School, “wrote the book on it. Literally.” To back up his point, McFadden held up the book he co-authored, “Georgia Appellate Practice,” which is used by lawyers statewide and cited recently by the Georgia Supreme Court.
That book is based on far more than mere theory. Since 2000, McFadden calculated that he has handled more cases in the Court of Appeals than his six opponents combined.
What about criteria such as temperament and proven grace under fire? As one of the most nimble minds in the Legislature during his time as a state senator, Meyer von Bremen was noted for his incisiveness and his ability to maintain composure and civility during tough floor debates. He would likely make a fine judge.
In fact, several candidates bring backgrounds that suggest they’d be excellent jurists. Now living in north Georgia, Edenfield has the support of colleagues statewide, earning the highest ratings in a survey of members by the State Bar of Georgia. Edenfield’s varied experience as a special assistant attorney general suggests that he would be a fit and ready judge.
(Adkins - who did not fare as well in the poll - makes the reasonable point that Edenfield enjoys one of the more recognizable names in state legal circles, being the son of the late U.S. District Judge Newell Edenfield and cousin of U.S. District Judge B. Avant Edenfield.)
In both debates, Sara Doyle of Atlanta stood out for her appealing personal style and supple responses. Her relative youth - she is 40, which is young in judge terms - also distinguishes her from the pack. She’s been acclaimed as one of the state’s top female lawyers and specializes in civil litigation and education law.
In other words, voters and editorial boards have some good candidates to sift through, a chore that isn’t made easier by the fact that it’s hard to predict how a judicial candidate will perform once on the bench.
In this race, none of the candidates has served as a judge so there’s not a public record to study. Most of the candidates have relevant legal experience arguing cases in court, with the exception of McGuire, who has worked as general counsel for Chick-fil-A.
Based on temperament, intellect, experience and training, voters won’t go wrong with McFadden, Meyer von Bremen, Edenfield or Doyle. All are bright and have the respect of their colleagues, and there’s every reason to believe that any of the four would do an excellent job.
- Maureen Downey, for the editorial board (mdowney@ajc.com)
As of my now, my vote is for McFadden. He is widely acclaimed to be an expert of appellate practice and knows how that court operates from the other side of the bench.
I wish Doyle had a little more experience, but she has a very bright future ahead of her.