The Court of Appeals

1906-2006

The Court of Appeals was established by State Constitutional Amendment and was ratified by the people on October 3, 1906. The First session was held, in what is now the+ Appropriations Room of the Capitol on January 2, 1907. The first elected judges to the Court were Benjamin Harvey Hill, Jr., who was Chief Judge, Richard Brevard Russell, Sr., father of the famed Georgia Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr., and Arthur Gray Powell. As we celebrate 100 years of serving justice, we also celebrate our form of government by the people and for the people as we live out the meaning of our motto, "Wisdom, Justice and Moderation."

Judges of the 2006 Centennial Court of Appeals

John H. Ruffin, Jr., Chief Judge

Gary B. Andrews, Presiding Judge

Edward H. Johnson, Presiding Judge

G. Alan Blackburn, Presiding Judge

J.D. Smith, Presiding Judge

Anne Elizabeth Barnes, Judge

M. Yvette Miller, Judge

John J. Ellington, Judge

Herbert E. Phipps, Judge

Charles B. Mikell, Jr., Judge

A. Harris Adams, Judge

Debra Bernes, Judge

The Court of Appeals

Centennial Proclamation Ceremony

January 24, 2006

11:30 A.M.

Call to Order and Welcome:

The Honorable John H. Ruffin, Jr., Chief Judge

National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner:

Kevin Wilson, Esquire, Staff Attorney

Occasion:

The Honorable J.D. Smith, Presiding Judge

Invocation:

The Honorable Herbert E. Phipps, Judge

Introduction of The Honorable Sonny Perdue:

The Honorable John H. Ruffin, Jr., Chief Judge

Presentation of the Proclamation:

The Honorable Sonny Perdue, Governor

Unveiling of the Bronze Plaque:

William L. Martin, III, Esquire, Clerk of Court

Presentation of the Senate Resolution:

The Honorable Mark Taylor

Lieutenant Governor

Presentation of the House Resolution:

The Honorable Glenn Richardson

Speaker of the House

Closing Remarks:

The Honorable John H. Ruffin, Jr., Chief Judge

America the Beautiful:

Audience participation led by

Katherine Durant, Esquire, Staff Attorney