Georgia
#Georgia#
##Justices##
- Chief Justice Carol Hunstein – Term expires 2010 (leans progressive)
- Justice Robert Benham – Re-elected 2008, term expires 2014 (leans progressive)
- Justice George Carley – Term expires 2012 (leans progressive)
- Justice Hugh Thompson – Term expires 2012 (leans progressive)
- Justice P. Harris Hines – Re-elected 2008, term expires 2014 (leans progressive)
- Justice David Nahmias – Term expires 2010 (leans conservative)
- Justice Harold Melton – Term expires 2012 (leans conservative)
##About the court##
Georgia’s court has seven sitting justices, five appointed by Democratic governors. Unfortunately, Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears announced her retirement this past summer, allowing Republican Governor Sonny Perdue to appoint former U.S. Attorney, David Nahmias.
Progressives do have an opportunity, however, to run a candidate against Nahmias in 2010 to gain back their strong majority in the court. This will not be an easy or inexpensive undertaking; however. Georgia’s conservative and manufacturing groups (which played a significant role in funding and trying to thwart both Sears’ re-election in 2004 as well as Justice Carol Hunstein’s re-election in 2006) can be expected to again rear their head in support of Nahmias.
Their increased involvement in Georgia’s Supreme Court races accounted for a staggering leap of campaign financing from $38,888 in 2000 to more than $4 million in 2006. This history shows us that we must always keep a watchful eye on the Georgia Supreme Court, as business interests and the Chamber of Commerce do and will act when they can to try and increase their representation on the court.