ATL Standard

The governor of Georgia is speaking out after appointing a new judge to the state's Supreme Court.

Gov. Brian Kemp has appointed Judge Verda M. Colvin to the top court position, according to a press release. 

"It is an honor to appoint such an experienced and accomplished justice to our state's Supreme Court," Kemp said in the release. "With Justice Colvin on the bench, Georgia's highest court is gaining an immensely talented and principled judge who will help guide it in the years to come."

Colvin was appointed by Kemp to the Court of Appeals of Georgia and sworn in on April 10, 2020, the press release said. 

She was the first African-American female appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals by a Republican governor and will now be the first African-American female appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court by a Republican governor, the press release said. 

She was appointed to the Superior Court by Governor Nathan Deal on April 16, 2014, the release said. This appointment made her the first African-American female judge in the Macon Judicial Circuit, according to the press release. 

In 2016, a video of her giving a courtroom speech to a group of at-risk children in Macon went viral on Facebook, with Colvin urging the youths to "stop acting like you're trash."

Colvin was born in Atlanta and attended D.M. Therrell High School, the release said.

Her biography in the press release said that she received her Bachelor of Arts Dual degree in Government and Religion from Sweet Briar College in Virginia and her Juris Doctorate from University of Georgia School of Law.

She has been given numerous awards and honors including The Young Lawyer Division of the State Bar of Georgia Distinguished Judicial Award and The Honorable Debra Bernes Community Volunteer Award, according to the press release.

She is married and has two children, the press release said. 

The press release said that Colvin will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Harold D. Melton.