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Scott McAfee
Scott McAfee is a judge of the Georgia 5th Superior Court District Atlanta Circuit. He assumed office on February 1, 2023. His current term ends on January 1, 2029.
McAfee ran for re-election for judge of the Georgia 5th Superior Court District Atlanta Circuit. He won in the general election on May 21, 2024.
Gov. Brian Kemp (R) appointed McAfee in December 2022 to replace former Judge Christopher S. Brasher.[1]
Biography
McAfee received a bachelor’s degree in music and political science from Emory University in 2010 and a J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2013. Prior to his appointment to the superior court, McAfee was the inspector general for the state of Georgia.[2]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Fulton County, Georgia (2024)
General election
General election for Georgia 5th Superior Court District Atlanta Circuit
Incumbent Scott McAfee defeated Robert Patillo in the general election for Georgia 5th Superior Court District Atlanta Circuit on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Scott McAfee (Nonpartisan) | 82.6 | 60,041 |
| Robert Patillo (Nonpartisan) | 17.4 | 12,674 | ||
| Total votes: 72,715 | |||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Tiffani Johnson (Nonpartisan)
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for McAfee in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Scott McAfee did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Noteworthy cases
Presided over criminal indictment of former President Donald Trump (2023)
Former President Donald Trump (R) was indicted on 13 criminal charges related to interference in the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Trump pleaded not guilty on August 31.[3] Judge Scott McAfee struck three of these charges for lack of specificity on March 13, 2024, and struck an additional two charges based on the U.S. Constitution's Supremacy Clause on September 12, 2024.[4][5]
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) filed the indictment in Fulton Superior Court in Georgia, but the Georgia Court of Appeals removed her from the case on December 19, 2025.[6] Before Trump assumed office as the 47th president, the case was heard by Judge Scott McAfee.[7]
The indictment was unsealed on August 14, 2023, the same day it was announced that the grand jury had voted to issue an indictment.[8] It included the following charges against Trump:[8]
- violation of Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act;
- conspiracy to impersonate a public officer, to commit first degree forgery, to commit false statements and writings, and to file false documents;
- filing false documents; and
- issuing false statements and writings.
The indictment included a total of 41 criminal counts related to interference in Georgia's 2020 presidential election results against 19 defendants, including Trump, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R), former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former Georgia Republican Party Chairman David Shafer, and Georgia State Senator Shawn Still (R), among others.[8] McAfee struck six of these counts in March 2024 due to lack of specificity.[4] To view a full list of defendants and the charges issued against each, click here.
Trump's campaign issued a statement shortly before the indictment was released, saying, "GA's radical Democrat District Attorney Fani Willis is a rabid partisan who is campaigning and fundraising on a platform of prosecuting President Trump through these bogus indictments. [...] They are taking away President Trump's First Amendment right to free speech, and the right to challenge a rigged and stolen election that the Democrats do all the time."[9]
In a press conference after the indictment was released, Willis said, "I remind everyone here that an indictment is only a series of allegations based on a grand jury's determination of probable cause to support the charges. It is now the duty of my office to prove these charges in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt at trial."[10]
The indictment followed a special grand jury investigation into whether Trump and his allies attempted to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. The grand jury convened in May 2022, and completed its investigation in January 2023.[11]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Georgia 5th Superior Court District Atlanta Circuit |
Footnotes
- ↑ Law.com, "Kemp's Pick: Inspector General Named New Fulton Superior Judge," accessed August 15, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Scott McAfee," accessed August 15, 2023
- ↑ NPR, "Trump pleads not guilty to Georgia election interference charges," August 31, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Fulton County Superior Court, "Order of Defendants' Special Demurrers," March 13, 2024
- ↑ NPR, "3 more counts are dismissed in the Trump case indictment in Georgia," September 12, 2024
- ↑ Georgia Court of Appeals, "Ruling," accessed January 29, 2025
- ↑ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Trump, 18 others indicted for trying to overthrow 2020 Georgia election," August 14, 2023
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Fulton Superior Court, "Indictment," accessed August 15, 2023
- ↑ Truth Social, "Trump on August 14, 2023," accessed August 15, 2023
- ↑ 11 Alive, "Re-Watch | Fulton County DA Fani Willis holds press conference after Trump Georgia indictment," August 14, 2023
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Trump special grand jury probe in Georgia," accessed August 15, 2023
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Southern District of Georgia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Southern District of Georgia
State courts:
Georgia Supreme Court • Georgia Court of Appeals • Georgia Superior Courts • Georgia State Courts • Georgia Business Court • Georgia Tax Court • Georgia Juvenile Courts • Georgia Probate Courts • Georgia Magistrate Courts • Georgia Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Georgia • Georgia judicial elections • Judicial selection in Georgia
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