The Alcovy Circuit public defender and attorney general were both nominated, along with nine local attorneys:
- Anthony Carter, public defender for the Alcovy Circuit
- Stan Cox, Stan Cox Law Office in Monroe
- David Dickinson, Dickinson & Willis in Monroe
- Lori B. Duff, Jones and Duff in Loganville
- Sheryl Fambrough, Law Office of Sheryl Fambrough in Monroe
- Donald Osborne, Donald W. Osborne PC in Monroe
- Ann M. Overbeck, Overbeck & Glass in Social Circle
- Tricia B. Smith, T. Smith Law Group in Conyers
- Robert Stansfield, Greer, Stansfield & Turner in Covington
- David C. Strickland, Alexander, Royston, Hardman, Shinall & Strickland in Covington; Municipal Court Judge for Covington and Porterdale
- Kendall Wynne, district attorney for Alcovy Circuit
The Judicial Nominating Commission, the body that interviews and selects candidates for judicial positions around the state, will send out questionnaires to the nominees, which must be returned by Sept. 28. Barbara Watson, the legal secretary for JNC Chairman Michael Bowers, said not all nominees will want to be the fifth judge, so the questionnaire process reveals which candidates are serious.
After the questionnaires are returned, interviews will be held in Atlanta on Oct. 13, and the JNC will choose up to five finalists to present to Perdue. However, no timetable has been set for the governor to make a decision.
Sen. John Douglas (R.-Social Circle) said that the last judge appointed to the Alcovy Circuit was a Walton County resident, so by traditional rotation the next judge should be a Newton County resident. However, Watson said the JNC will choose the best candidates regardless of where they live.
