Nels Stefan David Peterson (born September 17, 1978) is an American lawyer serving as the presiding justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia.
Nels Peterson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2017 | |
| Appointed by | Nathan Deal |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nels Stefan David Peterson September 17, 1978 |
| Education | Kennesaw State University (BS) Harvard University (JD) |
Biography
editPeterson graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor of Science in political science and a minor in economics. He received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.[1][2]
Upon graduation from law school, Peterson served as a law clerk to Judge William H. Pryor Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He then practiced at King & Spalding in Atlanta, where he focused on securities law, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and appellate law. He was then appointed as former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s Executive Ccounsel.[1] He then served as Solicitor General of Georgia under the direction of then state Attorney General Sam Olens.[3][4][5] He is a member of the Federalist Society.[6]
Judicial career
editGeorgia Court of Appeals
editPeterson was appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals by Governor Nathan Deal for a term starting January 1, 2016.[2] He was appointed after the state legislature expanded the composition of the court from 12 to 15 seats. His appointment was considered unconstitutional by some in the legal community, but it was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court of Georgia.[7]
Georgia Supreme Court
editGovernor Nathan Deal appointed Peterson to the Supreme Court of Georgia effective January 1, 2017.[8][2] He was unanimously selected as presiding justice and sworn in on July 18, 2022.[9]
Personal life
editPeterson is married to his wife Jennifer and they have two children. They reside in Marietta, Georgia.[8]
Electoral history
edit- 2018
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Nels S.D. Peterson (incumbent) | 885,265 | 100.00% | |
| Majority | 885,265 | 100.00% | ||
| Total votes | 885,265 | 100.00% | ||
References
edit- ^ a b "Justice Nels S.D. Peterson". www.gasupreme.us. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ a b c Stone, Ryal S.D.; Simmons, Madeleine. "Meet Your New Georgia Appellate Judges & Justices". Verdict.
- ^ "Nels Peterson". Office of the Attorney General. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ "Georgia AG creates solicitor general position".
- ^ "Attorney General Sam Olens Announces Key Personnel Appointments".
- ^ Shigley, Ken (October 7, 2015). "Short list of 11 for 3 seats on Ga Court of Appeals". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
- ^ Purcell, Joy (April 26, 2016). "Georgia Supreme Court Upholds Appeals Court Appointments". Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ a b "Deal appoints three to Supreme Court of Georgia" (Press release). Office of the Governor. November 9, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ "03/16/2022—Michael Boggs to Become New Chief Justice" (Press release). Supreme Court of Georgia. March 16, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "General Primary/General Nonpartisan/Special Election – May 22, 2018". Georgia Election Results. Office of the Secretary of State of Georgia. May 22, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
External links
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