GA's Chief Justice Resigns From Supreme Court

ATLANTA, GA — Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs on Tuesday resigned from the state's highest court.

Boggs hand-delivered his resignation letter to Gov. Brian Kemp. Patch has obtained a copy of the resignation.

His final day will be March 31, the last day of the Supreme Court's current term, he said in the letter. Boggs intends to return to private practice in South Georgia, Supreme Court officials said.

"After much prayer and reflection, I have decided that the time has come for me to begin the next chapter of my life," Boggs said in the letter. "My wife recently retired from full-time teaching, and we have increasing family and personal obligations at home in South Georgia that make this change the right decision for us. Please know how very thankful I am for your service to the State and for your steadfast support of me and of the entire judicial branch. I am eternally grateful."

Former Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Boggs to the court in December 2016, and Boggs later won two reelections in 2018 and 20124, Supreme Court officials said. In July 2022, he became chief justice.

In his letter to Kemp, Boggs noted his 25 years in the political arena. He previously served as a state representative, superior court judge and an appeals court judge for Georgia.

Supreme Court officials credited Boggs with working to improve judicial security and addressing the state's civil justice gap. He also ensured trial courts benefitted from state resources while tending to case backlogs that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, Supreme Court officials said.

Other efforts included responding to the "challenges and promises of generative artificial intelligence in the courts" and establishing collaborative initiatives with the State Bar of Georgia’s Office of Bar Admissions and the Supreme Court’s Committee on Access to Justice, Supreme Court officials said.

"Throughout my service, I have endeavored to be a good steward of the public’s trust. During my 21 years as a judge, I have found it especially rewarding to contribute to efforts that improve our state’s judicial system for the citizens who rely on it to deliver justice for all. With your help, we have made significant progress," Boggs wrote in the resignation.

"I consider it my greatest honor to have served as chief justice, and I will be forever grateful to
Governor Nathan Deal and the citizens of Georgia for affording me the privilege to serve. I have been blessed to work with dedicated jurists and talented court professionals and staff members who have made my service possible and to whom I express my utmost appreciation. I also am indebted to my many friends and to the citizens who have graciously supported me over the years."

While a judge, state officials said Boggs was a member of Georgia’s Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform and co-chair of the Georgia Criminal Justice Reform Council.

He is also a member of Kemp’s Georgia Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission, where he serves as chair of the Mental Health Courts and Corrections Subcommittee and the Familiar Faces Advisory Committee.

Notably, Boggs serves on the Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission, is an advisory member of the national criminal justice policy organization Council on Criminal Justice and is a member of the Council’s Veterans Justice Commission, Supreme Court officials said.

Other boards of which he is a member are the Board of Directors of the Conference of Chief Justices and the Council of State Governments Justice Center, where he previously served as chairperson.

After Kemp appoints a new justice to replace Boggs, officials said the Supreme Court will choose its newest chief justice.