At its 2017 annual meeting in Athens, the Council of Superior Court Judges awarded the Honorable Jason Deal the sixth annual Emory Findley Award for “Outstanding Judicial Service.”
Jason J. Deal was appointed Judge of the Superior Court of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia by Governor Sonny Perdue effective June 22, 2005, and ran unopposed for re-election to the post in 2006, 2010 and 2014. Deal became the presiding Judge of the Hall County Drug Court in January, 2006, and started the Dawson County Treatment Court (Drug/DUI) in July of 2006. He is a member of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Reform Council. Deal currently serves as chair of the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia.
Prior to becoming Judge, Deal served as the District Attorney for the Northeastern Judicial Circuit from May 1, 2002, until June of 2005. While serving as District Attorney, he was involved in the planning and commencement of the Hall County H.E.L.P. (Mental Health) Court and served on the Georgia Crime Information Center Advisory Council. He also served as a Magistrate Judge in Hall County, and as an Assistant District Attorney for Hall and Dawson Counties. Deal began his practice as an associate in the Dawsonville branch office of the firm Fox, Chandler, Homans, Hicks & McKinnon and served as County Attorney for Dawson County.
Deal is a long time resident of Hall County, having graduated from North Hall High School. Deal obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Furman University and his law degree from the University of Georgia. Deal also served honorably as an active duty infantry officer in the United States Army.
Deal is the son of Governor Nathan and Sandra Deal. He is married to Denise Deal, and has three children. He is a member and past deacon of the First Baptist Church of Gainesville, Georgia.
The award is named for the late Atlantic Judicial Circuit superior court Judge Emory Findley, who served in that role from 1976-1994. Judge Findley died in 2004, still serving as a senior judge.
The annual award is given to honor a judge who exemplifies Judge Findley’s virtues of visionary leadership, resolve, and dedication.