ATLANTA — Chief Justice David Nahmias announced Friday that he's stepping down from Georgia's Supreme Court this summer.
According to a release, Nahmias will resign on July 17, which is the last day of the court's next term.
In a resignation letter to Gov. Brian Kemp, Nahmias wrote, "After almost 15 years of service to my country as a federal prosecutor, I have had the great privilege of serving for more than 12 years as a Justice on my home state's highest court, including three years as Presiding Justice and the past seven months as Chief Justice."
During his time as Chief Justice, he has written over 470 opinions and joined more than 2,700 others, which has filled 27 volumes of the Georgia reports.
“I believe that I have contributed to making the decisional law of Georgia clearer, more consistent, and more faithful to the text and original understanding of our State’s Constitution and statutes,” he wrote.
Nahmias added that his work has been rewarding throughout the COVID pandemic, "but after several months of reflection and prayer, I have decided that it is time for me to spend more time with my new fiancée, my children, and the rest of my family, and to start a new (and perhaps final) chapter of my legal career."
Nahmias wrote his letter that he's ready to leave the court now but will continue his work on pending cases and allow for an "orderly transition to new leadership" before his resignation.
Nahmias was appointed to the Supreme Court by then-Gov. Sonny Perdue in 2009. He was reelected to the bench in 2010 and 2016. He also served as Presiding Justice from September 2018 until July 2021, when he became Chief Justice.
Gov. Kemp will now have to appoint a new Chief Justice.
Last year, Chief Justice Harold Melton resigned from the position in July 2021 with 14 months remaining in his four-year term, when Nahmias took over.
