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Stephen Dillard
2010 - Present
2030
15
Stephen Dillard is a judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals. He assumed office in 2010. His current term ends on December 31, 2030.
Dillard ran for re-election for judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals. He won in the general election on May 21, 2024.
Biography
Dillard worked on numerous presidential, congressional, and Georgia-based campaigns prior to being appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals.[1] He is also the former president of the Mississippi College School of Law chapter of the Federalist Society (1993-1996), the former president of the Macon, Georgia branch of the Federalist Society (1997-2001, 2003-2010), and has served on the board of advisors for the Federalist Society's Atlanta chapter.[2][3]
Education
Dillard received his B.A. from Samford University in 1992 and his J.D. from the Mississippi College of Law, graduating cum laude in 1996. He also received an LLM in judicial studies from Duke University School of Law in 2025.[4][1]
Career
- 2010 - Present: Judge, Georgia Court of Appeals
- 2017-2019: Chief Judge, Georgia Court of Appeals
- 2003-2010: Of counsel/chair of the appellate practice group, James Bates Pope Spivey LLP, Macon, Georgia
- 2001-2003: Law clerk to Judge Daniel Manion, United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit
- 1996-2001: Attorney, Stone & Baxter, Macon, Georgia[4][5]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2025: ”Milvain Chair in Advocacy” by the University of Calgary Law Faculty
- 2021: “Significant Sig” award by The Sigma Chi Fraternity
- 2020: ”Distinguished Judicial Service Award” by the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia
- 2019: Named “Tweeter Laureate” of Georgia by the Georgia House of Representatives, as one of “Atlanta’s 500 most powerful leaders“ by Atlanta Magazine, and as “Best Social Mediator” by the Fulton County Daily Report
- 2017: "Alumnus of the Year," Samford University
- 2014: "State Judge of the Year", Mississippi College School of Law
- 2014: "Fastcase 50" award
- 2013: Distinguished Judicial Service Award, Young Lawyers Division, State Bar of Georgia[4]
Associations
- Mercer School of Law (adjunct faculty)
- Samford Alumni Association
- Code of Judicial Conduct Review Committee
- Special consultant, Georgia High School Mock Trial Committee
- Judicial Nominating Commission
- Public Defender Selection Panel for the Macon Judicial Circuit
- Speakers Bureau, Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
- Board of Advisors, Federalist Society Atlanta Lawyers Chapter
- Past president, Federalist Society Macon Lawyers Chapter
- State Bar of Georgia, Appellate Practice Section
- Macon Bar Association
- Atlanta Bar Association
- Lawyers Club of Atlanta
- Saint Thomas More Society
- Lamar American Inn of Court
- Logan E. Bleckley American Inn of Court
- William Augustus Bootle American Inn of Court
- Palaver Club of Macon[4]
Elections
2024
See also: Georgia intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
General election
General election for Georgia Court of Appeals
Incumbent Stephen Dillard won election in the general election for Georgia Court of Appeals on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Stephen Dillard (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 1,050,079 |
| Total votes: 1,050,079 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Dillard in this election.
2018
- See also: Georgia Supreme Court elections, 2018
General election
General election for Georgia Court of Appeals
Incumbent Stephen Dillard won election in the general election for Georgia Court of Appeals on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Stephen Dillard (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 881,916 |
| Total votes: 881,916 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
There are fifteen judges on the Georgia Court of Appeals, each chosen by the people in nonpartisan elections to serve a six-year term. If a vacancy appears on the court, the position is filled by assisted appointment. The governor chooses an appointee from a list of qualified candidates compiled by the judicial nominating commission. If appointed, an interim judge must run in the next general election held at least six months after the appointment, and, if confirmed by voters, he or she may finish the rest of the predecessor's term.[6]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
Selection of the chief judge
The chief judge is selected by peer vote and serves in that capacity for twp years.[6]
2012
Dillard ran unopposed in the general primary election on July 31, 2012. He was elected to the Georgia Court of Appeals after receiving 99.71 percent of the vote.[7]
- See also: Georgia judicial elections, 2012
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Stephen Dillard did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Approach to the law
Dillard considers himself a "conservative judge," but also stated:
The reality is we’re not Republican judges. We’re not Democratic judges. We’re just judges. Ultimately as a judge your job is a very simple one, it’s not always easy, but it’s to interpret the law. That’s your role."[8]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Georgia Court of Appeals |
Officeholder Georgia Court of Appeals |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedajc - ↑ The Federalist Society, "Macon Branch," accessed May 10, 2015
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Conservative Catholics Organize To Sink Rudy," May 31, 2007
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ Office of Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, "Press Release: Governor Announces Judicial Appointments," October 21, 2010
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Georgia," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Election Results," accessed May 10, 2015
- ↑ Rome News-Tribune, "Court of Appeals judges lay groundwork for election bid," August 30, 2011
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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