STAFF REPORT :::
Chief Judge Christopher C. Edwards, of the Griffin Judicial Circuit, has been designated to serve in place of Justice Britt C. Grant in the appeal of McConnell et al. v. Ga. Dept. Labor (S16G1786).
The Supreme Court of Georgia will hear arguments in the case during its 10 a.m. Aug. 28 session.
In this Cobb County case, a man is appealing the dismissal of his class action lawsuit against the Department of Labor for inadvertently releasing the personal identifying information of more than 4,500 people. In addition to hearing arguments, Edwards will participate in the Court’s decision.
Chief Judge Edwards, age 61, was elected a Superior Court judge in August 1998 and began his first four-year term on Jan. 1, 1999. He has been reelected four times without opposition.
Prior to being elected to the bench, Edwards served as an assistant district attorney in the Griffin Judicial Circuit, which includes Fayette, Pike, Spalding and Upson counties. He was also an assistant district attorney in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, which includes Appling, Camden, Glynn, Jeff Davis and Wayne counties. He served as a Long County public defender and then was on the Griffin Judicial Circuit indigent defense panel program. He subsequently worked in private practice with the firm of Christopher Charles Edwards P.C. from 1986 until his election to the Superior Court.
Chief Judge Edwards received his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and his law degree from Nova Southeastern Law School. He has served on five committees of the Council of Superior Court Judges and received an Outstanding Service Award from the Fayette County Bar Association. He is the recipient of the Robert Benham Award from the State Bar of Georgia and another award from the Fayette County Bar Association “For Tireless Efforts to Improve and Strengthen the Bar Association and Community.”
A frequent speaker in schools, he has spoken to over 58,000 students.
Edwards has two daughters.
Designated judges are appointed when a justice must recuse himself or herself from a particular case. The Supreme Court of Georgia maintains a list of select judges from around the state and when the need arises, the Court appoints the next judge on the list.
