# United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (in case citations, N.D. Ga.) is a United States district court which serves the residents of forty-six counties. These are divided up into four divisions.
Appeals from cases brought in the Northern District of Georgia are 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).

## 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

Jurisdiction and venue are enumerated in 28 U.S.C. § 90.
The Atlanta division includes: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, and Rockdale counties.
The Gainesville division serves: Banks, Barrow, Dawson, Fannin, Forsyth, Gilmer, Habersham, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Pickens, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties.
The Newnan division hears cases for: Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Haralson, Heard, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, and Troup counties.
The Rome division serves: Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Murray, Paulding, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court.
As of January 17, 2025, the acting United States attorney is Richard S. Moultrie Jr.

## Current judges

As of January 2, 2025:
| # | 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 |
| 37 | Chief Judge | Timothy Batten | Atlanta Newnan | 1960 | 2006–present | 2021–present | — | G.W. Bush |
| 40 | District Judge | Leigh Martin May | Atlanta | 1971 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
| 41 | District Judge | Mark Howard Cohen | Atlanta | 1955 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
| 42 | District Judge | Eleanor L. Ross | Atlanta | 1967 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
| 43 | District Judge | Michael Lawrence Brown | Atlanta | 1968 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
| 44 | District Judge | William M. Ray II | Atlanta | 1963 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
| 45 | District Judge | J. P. Boulee | Atlanta | 1971 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 46 | District Judge | Steven D. Grimberg | Atlanta | 1974 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 47 | District Judge | Victoria Calvert | Atlanta | 1981 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
| 48 | District Judge | Sarah Geraghty | Atlanta | 1974 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
| 49 | District Judge | Tiffany R. Johnson | Atlanta | 1986 | 2025–present | — | — | Biden |
| 23 | Senior Judge | Orinda Dale Evans | inactive | 1943 | 1979–2008 | 1999–2006 | 2008–present | Carter |
| 29 | Senior Judge | Clarence Cooper | inactive | 1942 | 1994–2009 | — | 2009–present | Clinton |
| 31 | Senior Judge | Willis B. Hunt Jr. | inactive | 1932 | 1995–2005 | — | 2005–present | Clinton |
| 32 | Senior Judge | Thomas W. Thrash Jr. | Atlanta | 1951 | 1997–2021 | 2014–2021 | 2021–present | Clinton |
| 33 | Senior Judge | Richard W. Story | Atlanta Gainesville | 1953 | 1998–2018 | — | 2018–present | Clinton |
| 34 | Senior Judge | Charles A. Pannell Jr. | inactive | 1946 | 1999–2013 | — | 2013–present | Clinton |
| 38 | Senior Judge | Amy Totenberg | Atlanta | 1950 | 2011–2021 | — | 2021–present | Obama |
| 39 | Senior Judge | Steve C. Jones | Atlanta | 1957 | 2011–2025 | — | 2025–present | Obama |

## Vacancies and pending nominations

| Seat | Prior judge's duty station | Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
| 14 | Atlanta Newnan | Timothy Batten | Retirement | May 23, 2025 | – | – |

## Former judges

| # | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
| 1 | John Cochran Nicoll | GA | 1793–1863 | 1848–1861 | — | — | Van Buren/Operation of law | resignation |
| 2 | John Erskine | GA | 1813–1895 | 1865–1882 | — | — | A. Johnson | seat abolished |
| 3 | Henry Kent McCay | GA | 1820–1886 | 1882–1886 | — | — | Arthur | death |
| 4 | William Truslow Newman | GA | 1843–1920 | 1886–1920 | — | — | Cleveland | death |
| 5 | Samuel Hale Sibley | GA | 1873–1958 | 1919–1931 | — | — | Wilson | elevation to 5th Cir. |
| 6 | Emory Marvin Underwood | GA | 1877–1960 | 1931–1948 | — | 1948–1960 | Hoover | death |
| 7 | Robert Lee Russell | GA | 1900–1955 | 1940–1949 | 1949 | — | F. Roosevelt | elevation to 5th Cir. |
| 8 | Maurice Neil Andrews | GA | 1894–1967 | 1949–1950 | 1949–1950 | — | Truman | resignation |
| 9 | Frank Arthur Hooper | GA | 1895–1985 | 1949–1967 | 1950–1965 | 1967–1985 | Truman | death |
| 10 | William Boyd Sloan | GA | 1895–1970 | 1951–1965 | — | 1965–1970 | Truman | death |
| 11 | Lewis Render Morgan | GA | 1913–2001 | 1961–1968 | 1965–1968 | — | Kennedy | elevation to 5th Cir. |
| 12 | Sidney Oslin Smith Jr. | GA | 1923–2012 | 1965–1974 | 1968–1974 | — | L. Johnson | resignation |
| 13 | Newell Edenfield | GA | 1911–1981 | 1967–1981 | 1974–1976 | 1981 | L. Johnson | death |
| 14 | Albert John Henderson | GA | 1920–1999 | 1968–1979 | 1976–1979 | — | L. Johnson | elevation to 5th Cir. |
| 15 | Charles Allen Moye Jr. | GA | 1918–2010 | 1970–1988 | 1979–1987 | 1988–2010 | Nixon | death |
| 16 | William Clark O'Kelley | GA | 1930–2017 | 1970–1996 | 1988–1994 | 1996–2017 | Nixon | death |
| 17 | Richard Cameron Freeman | GA | 1926–1999 | 1971–1991 | — | 1991–1999 | Nixon | death |
| 18 | James Clinkscales Hill | GA | 1924–2017 | 1974–1976 | — | — | Nixon | elevation to 5th Cir. |
| 19 | Harold Lloyd Murphy | GA | 1927–2022 | 1977–2017 | — | 2017–2022 | Carter | death |
| 20 | Marvin Herman Shoob | SC | 1923–2017 | 1979–1991 | — | 1991–2017 | Carter | death |
| 21 | Robert L. Vining Jr. | GA | 1931–2022 | 1979–1996 | 1995–1996 | 1996–2022 | Carter | death |
| 22 | George Ernest Tidwell | GA | 1931–2011 | 1979–1999 | 1996–1999 | 1999–2011 | Carter | death |
| 24 | Robert Howell Hall | GA | 1921–1995 | 1979–1990 | — | 1990–1995 | Carter | death |
| 25 | Horace Ward | GA | 1927–2016 | 1979–1993 | — | 1993–2016 | Carter | death |
| 26 | J. Owen Forrester | GA | 1939–2014 | 1981–2004 | — | 2004–2014 | Reagan | death |
| 27 | Jack Tarpley Camp Jr. | GA | 1943–present | 1988–2008 | 2006–2008 | 2008–2010 | Reagan | retirement |
| 28 | Julie E. Carnes | GA | 1950–present | 1992–2014 | 2009–2014 | — | G.H.W. Bush | elevation to 11th Cir. |
| 30 | Frank M. Hull | GA | 1948–present | 1994–1997 | — | — | Clinton | elevation to 11th Cir. |
| 35 | Beverly B. Martin | GA | 1955–present | 2000–2010 | — | — | Clinton | elevation to 11th Cir. |
| 36 | William S. Duffey Jr. | GA | 1952–present | 2004–2018 | — | — | G.W. Bush | retirement |
* ↑ Reassigned from the District of Georgia.
* 1 2 Jointly appointed to the Northern and Southern Districts of Georgia.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 20, 1865, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 22, 1866, and received commission the same day.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 9, 1886, confirmed by the Senate on January 13, 1887, and received commission the same day.
* ↑ Recess appointment; resigned before the Senate considered the appointment.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate on February 21, 1950, and received commission on February 23, 1950.

## 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 reassigned from the District of Georgia on August 11, 1848 by 9 Stat. 280 (concurrent with Southern District) ||
| Nicoll | 1848–1861 |
| Erskine | 1865–1882 |
| Seat reassigned solely to the Southern District on April 25, 1882 by 22 Stat. 47 ||
Seat 2 :
| Seat established on April 25, 1882 by 22 Stat. 47 ||
| McCay | 1882–1886 |
| Newman | 1887–1920 |
| Seat abolished on February 14, 1920 (temporary judgeship expired) ||
Seat 3 :
| Seat established on August 5, 1919 pursuant to 40 Stat. 1156 (temporary) ||
| Seat became permanent upon the abolition of Seat 2 on February 14, 1920 ||
| Sibley | 1919–1931 |
| Underwood | 1931–1948 |
| Seat abolished on March 5, 1948 (temporary judgeship expired) ||
Seat 4 :
| Seat established on May 24, 1940 by 54 Stat. 219 (temporary) ||||
| Seat became permanent upon the abolition of Seat 3 on March 5, 1948 ||||
| Russell | 1940–1949 |
| Hooper | 1949–1967 |
| Edenfield | 1967–1981 |
| Forrester | 1981–2004 |
| Duffey, Jr. | 2004–2018 |
| Boulee | 2019–present |
Seat 5 :
| Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 ||||
| Andrews | 1949–1950 |
| Sloan | 1951–1965 |
| Smith, Jr. | 1965–1974 |
| Hill | 1974–1976 |
| Murphy | 1977–2017 |
| Ray II | 2018–present |
Seat 6 :
| Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| Morgan | 1961–1968 |
| Henderson | 1968–1979 |
| Evans | 1979–2008 |
| Jones | 2011–2025 |
| Johnson | 2025–present |
Seat 7 :
| Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 ||||
| Moye, Jr. | 1970–1988 |
| Camp Jr. | 1988–2008 |
| Totenberg | 2011–2021 |
| Geraghty | 2022–present |
Seat 8 :
| Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 ||||
| O'Kelley | 1970–1996 |
| Story | 1998–2018 |
| Grimberg | 2019–present |
Seat 9 :
| Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 ||||
| Freeman | 1971–1991 |
| Cooper | 1994–2009 |
| Cohen | 2014–present |
Seat 10 :
| Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 ||||
| Shoob | 1979–1991 |
| Hull | 1994–1997 |
| Pannell, Jr. | 1999–2013 |
| Ross | 2014–present |
Seat 11 :
| Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 ||||
| Tidwell | 1979–1999 |
| Martin | 2000–2010 |
| May | 2014–present |
Seat 12 :
| Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 ||||
| Vining, Jr. | 1979–1996 |
| Thrash, Jr. | 1997–2021 |
| Calvert | 2022–present |
Seat 13 :
| Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 ||||
| Hall | 1979–1990 |
| Carnes | 1992–2014 |
| Brown | 2018–present |
Seat 14 :
| Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 ||||
| Ward | 1979–1993 |
| Hunt, Jr. | 1995–2005 |
| Batten | 2006–present |

## U.S. Attorneys

* Emory Speer 1883-85
* Ben H. Hill, Jr. 1885-89
* Sion A. Darnell 1889-93
* Joseph S. James 1893-97
* Edgar A. Angier 1897-1905
* Farish C. Tate 1905-13
* Hooper Alexander 1913-21
* Clint W. Hager 1921-34
* Lawrence S. Camp 1934-42
* J. Ellis Mundy 1942
* M. Neil Andrews 1942-46
* J. Ellis Mundy 1946-53
* James W. Dorsey 1953-59
* Charles D. Read, Jr. 1959-61
* Charles L. Goodson 1961-77
* William L. Harper 1977-81
* Robert J. Castellani 1981
* Dorothy Y. Kirkley 1981
* James E. Baker 1981-82
* Larry D. Thompson 1982-86
* Stephen S. Cowen 1986
* Bob Barr 1986-90
* Rimantas Rukstele 1990
* Joe D. Whitley 1990-93
* Gerrilyn G. Brill 1993
* Kent B. Alexander 1994-97
* Janet King 1997-98
* Richard H. Deane, Jr. 1998-2001
* William S. Duffey Jr. 2001-2004
* Sally Yates 2004-2004
* David Nahmias 2004-2009
* Sally Quillan Yates 2010-2015
* John A. Horn 2015-2017
* BJay Pak 2017-2021
* Bobby Christine 2021
* Kurt Erskine 2021-2022
* Ryan K. Buchanan 2022-2025