# United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia (in case citations, M.D. Ga.) is a United States district court which serves the residents of seventy counties from five divisions from its headquarters in Macon, Georgia.
Appeals from cases brought in the Middle District of Georgia are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
As of January 12, 2025 the acting United States attorney is C. Shanelle Booker.

## History

The United States District Court for the District of Georgia was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789. The District was subdivided into Northern and Southern Districts on August 11, 1848, by 9 Stat. 280. The Middle District was formed from portions of those two Districts on May 28, 1926, by 44 Stat. 670.

## Jurisdiction

The Albany division serves: Baker, Ben Hill, Calhoun, Crisp, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Schley, Seminole, Sumter, Terrell, Turner, Webster, and Worth counties.
The Athens division hears cases from: Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Greene, Hart, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton counties.
The Columbus division includes: Chattahoochee, Clay, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Stewart, Talbot, and Taylor counties.
The Macon division serves: Baldwin, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Crawford, Dooly, Hancock, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Macon, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs, Upson, Washington, Wilcox and Wilkinson counties.
The Valdosta division hears cases for: Berrien, Brooks, Clinch, Colquitt, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Thomas, and Tift counties.

## Current judges

As of June 1, 2024:
| # | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Term of service | Term of service | Appointed by |
| # | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Active | Chief | Senior | Appointed by |
| 14 | Chief Judge | Leslie Abrams Gardner | Albany | 1974 | 2014–present | 2024–present | — | Obama |
| 12 | District Judge | Clay D. Land | Columbus | 1960 | 2001–present | 2014–2020 | — | G.W. Bush |
| 13 | District Judge | Marc T. Treadwell | Macon | 1955 | 2010–present | 2020–2024 | — | Obama |
| 15 | District Judge | Tripp Self | Macon | 1968 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
| 9 | Senior Judge | W. Louis Sands | Albany | 1949 | 1994–2014 | 2001–2006 | 2014–present | Clinton |
| 11 | Senior Judge | C. Ashley Royal | Macon | 1949 | 2001–2016 | 2008–2014 | 2016–present | G.W. Bush |

## Former judges

| # | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
| 1 | William Josiah Tilson | GA | 1871–1949 | 1926–1927 1927–1928 | — | — | Coolidge | not confirmed resignation |
| 2 | Bascom Sine Deaver | GA | 1882–1944 | 1928–1944 | — | — | Coolidge | death |
| 3 | Thomas Hoyt Davis | GA | 1892–1969 | 1945–1961 | 1949–1961 | 1961–1969 | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 4 | Abraham Benjamin Conger | GA | 1887–1953 | 1949–1953 | — | — | Truman | death |
| 5 | William Augustus Bootle | GA | 1902–2005 | 1954–1972 | 1961–1972 | 1972–2005 | Eisenhower | death |
| 6 | J. Robert Elliott | GA | 1910–2006 | 1962–2000 | 1972–1980 | — | Kennedy | retirement |
| 7 | Wilbur Dawson Owens Jr. | GA | 1930–2010 | 1972–1995 | 1980–1995 | 1995–2010 | Nixon | death |
| 8 | Duross Fitzpatrick | GA | 1934–2008 | 1985–2001 | 1995–2001 | 2001–2008 | Reagan | death |
| 10 | Hugh Lawson | GA | 1941–2024 | 1995–2008 | 2006–2008 | 2008–2024 | Clinton | death |
* ↑ Recess appointment; the United States Senate later rejected the appointment.
* ↑ Recess appointment; resigned prior to Senate consideration of the appointment.

## Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.
A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

## Succession of seats

Seat 1 :
| Seat established on May 28, 1926 by 44 Stat. 670 ||||
| Tilson | 1926–1927 |
| Tilson | 1927–1928 |
| Deaver | 1928–1944 |
| Davis | 1945–1961 |
| Elliot | 1962–2000 |
| Land | 2001–present |
Seat 2 :
| Seat established on March 29, 1949 by 63 Stat. 16 (temporary) ||||
| Conger | 1949–1953 |
| Seat made permanent on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| Bootle | 1954–1972 |
| Owens, Jr. | 1972–1995 |
| Lawson | 1995–2008 |
| Treadwell | 2010–present |
Seat 3 :
| Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 ||||
| Fitzpatrick | 1985–2001 |
| Royal | 2001–2016 |
| Self | 2018–present |
Seat 4 :
| Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 ||||
| Sands | 1994–2014 |
| Gardner | 2014–present |