The Council of Superior Court Judges announces the officers for the May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017 term:
PRESIDENT – Superior Court Judge Horace J. Johnson, Jr., Alcovy Judicial Circuit, Covington. He previously served as Chair of the CSCJ’s Mandatory Continuing Judicial Education Committee and is a member of its Indigent Defense Committee. He has served as a designated Judge on the Georgia Supreme Court and was appointed by the Chief Justice to serve on the inaugural Georgia Accountability Courts Funding Committee. In addition to his regular court dockets, he presides over a Parental Accountability Court addressing child support matters in both Newton and Walton Counties.
Judge Johnson’s extensive community service and leadership activities include Advisory Board, J.W. Fanning Institute, University of Georgia; Leadership Georgia Foundation, Board of Trustees (2010 Chairman); Board of Directors, Washington Street Community Center; Board of Directors, United Bank (Covington Division); Board of Counselors, Oxford College of Emory University; Founding Board of Directors, Newton Mentoring, Inc.; and the Covington Kiwanis Club.
PRESIDENT-ELECT – Superior Court Chief Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III, Macon Judicial Circuit, Macon. Judge Self served as a Field Artillery Officer in the United States Army. He served as Co-Vice Chair of the Bench and Bar Committee for the State Bar and CSCJ. He also serves on the CSCJ’s Budget and Legislation Committees and as a part of the Legislative Support Team. He has served as a designated Justice on the Georgia Supreme Court and is a former president of the Macon Bar Association. In addition to his other administrative and judicial duties, he also presides over the Circuit’s Veterans Treatment Court.
Judge Self is a graduate of Leadership Macon and Leadership Georgia. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Central Georgia Council of Boy Scouts of America and the Robins Air Force Base Museum of Aviation Foundation. He is a member of the Downtown Macon Rotary Club. For the past 18 years, he has officiated college football and will soon begin his 15th season in the Southern Conference (NCAA FCS).
SECRETARY-TREASURER – Superior Court Chief Judge Kathy Stephens Palmer, Middle Judicial Circuit, Swainsboro. Judge Palmer is actively involved in a number of the CSCJ’s committees, which include the Executive Committee, the Indigent Defense Committee, and the Mandatory Continuing Judicial Education Committee. She also is a member of the Judicial Council of Georgia and is the current Chair of the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education of Georgia Board of Trustees.
As a lifetime 4-H’er, Judge Palmer is past Chair of the Georgia 4-H Foundation and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Emanuel County 4-H Foundation. She also is a past member of the Executive Committee of the UGA Alumni Association. Through her volunteer activities on the local, regional and state level, Judge Palmer has received numerous local civic and church awards, as well as regional and state awards.