An Augusta judge is a nominee to fill a vacancy on the Georgia Court of Appeals.
Columbia County Superior Court Judge J. Wade Padgett is one of five recommended by the state Judicial Nominating Commission from a pool of 19 applications.
The vacancy was created by the to fill the vacancy created by the unexpected Dec. 17 death of Clyde L. Reese, an appeals court judge appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal in 2016.
Padgett, who holds a juris doctor from Georgia State University School of Law, was appointed a Superior Court Judge of the Augusta Judicial Circuit by Gov. Sonny Perdue in 2009.
Padgett, 57, served as an assistant district attorney under Mike Eubanks and Danny Craig before going into private practice. He was appointed an associate magistrate in Columbia County in 1994 and ran for chief magistrate in 2004, holding the title until he was appointed to the superior court bench.
The Columbia County resident served as a judge of the Augusta Judicial Circuit until transitioning to the Columbia County Circuit when it was created in 2021.
Padgett has written a book about the history of the Augusta Judicial Circuit and served as president of the Georgia Council of Superior Court Judges.
The remaining candidates selected for interviews with Kemp are:
- Carolyn “Tippi” Cain Burch, The Burch Firm LLC, Columbus
- Jeremy U. Littlefield, Robbins Alloy Belinfante Littlefield LLC, Atlanta
- Shondeana Crews Morris, Superior Court Judge, Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit
- Jeffrey A. Watkins, Superior Court Judge, Cherokee Judicial Circuit
- Susan McCord is a staff writer with The Augusta Press. Reach her at susan@theaugustapress.com
