Stephen Dillard

American lawyer and judge

For the baseball player, see Steve Dillard (baseball).

Stephen Dillard

Chief Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals
In office
July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2019
Preceded by| Sara L. Doyle
Succeeded by| Christopher J. McFadden
Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals

Incumbent

Assumed office
November 1, 2010
Appointed by| Sonny Perdue
Preceded by| Debra Bernes
Personal details
Born|

Stephen Louis Armstrong Dillard

(1969-11-13) November 13, 1969 (age 53)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Education| Samford University
Mississippi College School of Law (JD)

Stephen Louis Armstrong Dillard (born November 13, 1969 in Nashville, Tennessee) is an appellate court judge and lecturer. In 2010, he was appointed to fill a vacant judgeship on the Georgia Court of Appeals.[1] In 2012, he was elected to a full six-year term and was re-elected in 2018.[2] His current term will end in 2024.

## Education[edit]

Dillard graduated from Samford University and the Mississippi College School of Law, cum laude.[3]

## Career[edit]

In 1996, he was admitted to practice in Georgia, and he is an active member of the State Bar of Georgia.[3] Dillard clerked for Judge Daniel Anthony Manion of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.[4]

Dillard practiced appellate law with the Macon, Georgia law firm of James, Bates, Pope & Spivey LLP until receiving his judgeship appointment in 2010.[3] He lives in Macon with his wife, the former Krista McDaniel, and their three children. On June 1, 2009, Dillard was nominated to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court of Georgia.[3][2]

On July 1, 2009, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue's Office of Communications announced that the Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission had recommended Dillard as one of nine individuals to fill that vacancy. But in August 2009, Governor Perdue appointed Dillard instead to the Judicial Nominating Commission. In October 2010, Perdue appointed Dillard to fill one of two vacancies on the Georgia Court of Appeals.[1] His judicial appointment ran from November 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012.[2][5][6]

On July 31, 2012, Judge Dillard was elected by his fellow Georgians to serve a full six-year term on the Court (2013–18). On July 1, 2017, Dillard was elected by his colleagues to serve as the Court’s Chief Judge. Since joining the Court of Appeals, Dillard has spoken to numerous organizations and participated in countless seminars on a wide variety of legal topics. In 2016, Judge Dillard was appointed as the Co-Chairperson of the Georgia Judicial Council's Strategic Plan Standing Committee, and as a member of the Council's Standing Committee on Technology.[2]

In 2015, Dillard was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to the Georgia Appellate Jurisdiction Review Commission. He was appointed that year to serve on the Georgia Judicial Council, and as the Chairperson of the Council's Court Reporting Matters Committee. In 2014, he was named the "State Judge of the Year" by his alma mater, the Mississippi College School of Law, for outstanding judicial service and also received the "Fastcase 50" award, which honors leaders in the world of law, scholarship, and legal technology.[2]

In 2013, he was awarded the Distinguished Judicial Service Award by the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia, recognizing his outstanding service on the bench and commitment to improving the practice of law. In 2012, Judge Dillard was appointed to the Code of Judicial Conduct Review Committee, and he also began serving as the Special Consultant to the Georgia High School Mock Trial Committee.[2]

## Personal[edit]

Dillard is married to Krista (née McDaniel), with whom he has three children.[3]

## Electoral history[edit]

2012
Georgia Court of Appeals Results, July 31, 2012[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | Stephen Dillard (incumbent)  | 1,168,774  | 99.71%
| None  | Write-ins  | 3,420  | 0.29%
Majority  | 1,165,354  | 99.42%
Total votes  | 1,172,194  | 100.00%

2018
Georgia Court of Appeals Results, May 22, 2018[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Nonpartisan | Stephen Dillard (incumbent)  | 881,916  | 100.00%  | +0.29%
Majority  | 881,916  | 100.00%  | +0.58%
Total votes  | 881,916  | 100.00%  | −24.76%

## Bibliography[edit]

* Five essays in the Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America, (M.E. Sharpe, 2005)
* Griffin Bell and Antonin Scalia biographies in Great American Judges, (ABC-CLIO, 2003); and
* Kenneth Starr and Joseph Story biographies in Great American Lawyers, (ABC-CLIO, 2001)

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b Womack, Amy Leigh (October 21, 2010), "Macon Lawyer Chosen for Appeals Judgeship", Macon Telegraph, archived from the original on March 20, 2012, retrieved August 17, 2011
2. ^ a b c d e f "Court of Appeals of Georgia: Stephen Dillard, Judge". gaappeals.us. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
3. ^ a b c d e Governor Appoints James Bates Attorney to the Georgia Court of Appeals, retrieved March 6, 2018
4. ^ Curry, Tom (September 3, 2008), GOP Delegates Eye Nov. 4 High Court Effect, NBC News, retrieved December 4, 2008
5. ^ "Perdue names Blackwell, Dillard to Appeals Court". gareport.com. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
6. ^ Rankin, Bill. "Blackwell, Dillard get Appeals Court judgeships". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ajc.com. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
7. ^ "General Primary/General Nonpartisan/Special Election – July 31, 2012". Georgia Election Results. Office of the Secretary of State of Georgia. August 9, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
8. ^ "General Primary/General Nonpartisan/Special Election – May 22, 2018". Georgia Election Results. Office of the Secretary of State of Georgia. May 22, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2018.

## External links[edit]

Legal offices

Preceded by

Debra Bernes

|  Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals
2010–present  | Incumbent
Preceded by

Sara L. Doyle

|  Chief Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals
2017–2019  | Succeeded by

Christopher J. McFadden