Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced in a press release Friday that he appointed former Cobb District Attorney and current GBI Director Vic Reynolds to fill the unexpired term of retired Judge LaTain Kell on the Cobb County Superior Court.

He also appointed Deputy Attorney General Julie Adams Jacobs to fill the spot vacated by the retirement of Judge Mary Staley Clark in Cobb Superior Court.

Reynolds has been the GBI director since his appointment by Kemp on February 18, 2019 after serving as Cobb County District Attorney. Before that, Reynolds had been Cobb County’s Chief Magistrate.

He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia Southern University and his law degree from Georgia State College of Law.

Julie Adams Jacobs has been with the Georgia Attorney General’s office since 2003.

According to the press release from the governor:

Her responsibilities included management of the financial and property interests of state government in the areas of business and finance, tax, real property, construction, and transportation. She provided general representation to state agencies and authorities in the following areas: contract disputes, procurement, banking, lottery operations, bankruptcy, securities, hospital acquisitions, and general business matters. As part of her practice, she also assisted the Attorney General with the regulation of charitable and nonprofit entities. Julie has also served as the hearing officer in numerous hospital acquisitions involving the Attorney General’s review under the Georgia Hospital Acquisition Act.

She earned her B.A. in political science from Georgia State University, and graduated from Emory University School of Law in 2003.

What is Cobb County Superior Court?

In Georgia, the Superior Court is one of three trial courts found in each judicial circuit. The other two trial courts are State Courts and Probate Courts.

If you watch TV or movie courtroom dramas you’ll be familiar with the most high-profile role of this particular court. Superior Court in Georgia would be the court where a murder trial would be conducted.

So the Cobb County Superior Court conducts felony trials.

But it also handles a number of other types of cases.

The Georgia Superior Courts website describes the varied functions as follows:

The Superior Courts of Georgia is a court of general jurisdiction handling both civil and criminal law actions. Superior Court Judges preside over cases involving misdemeanors, contract disputes, premises liability, and various other actions. In addition, the Superior Court has exclusive equity jurisdiction over all cases of divorce, title to land, and felonies involving jury trials, including death penalty cases.

How are Superior Court judges chosen?

Superior Court judges are elected for four-year terms in nonpartisan elections. If a judge resigns or retires the governor appoints a replacement to serve out the judge’s unexpired term.

The requirements to run for a Superior Court seat are that the candidate be at least thirty years old, has been a Georgia citizen for at least three years, and the candidate must have practiced law for at least seven years.