The Supreme Court of Georgia held a special session in October to honor the Atlanta Braves and wish them well in the World Series against the Houston Astros. All nine justices wore Braves baseball caps and pearls. (Courtesy photo)
When he assumed the role of Georgia’s top jurist in 2018, now-former Chief Justice Harold Melton surely had no idea of the tumultuous tenure awaiting him as he shepherded Georgia’s courts through COVID-19 closures, mask mandates and varied vaccine rollouts.
Small wonder, then, that the indefatigable Melton—repeatedly driven by a relentless virus to reissue emergency orders postponing trials, deadlines and in-person procedures—decided to exit the court in July, accompanied by accolades for his handling of the pandemic and the courts’ ability to continue functioning.
Chief Justice Harold D. Melton of the Georgia Supreme Court. Photo: Jeffrey Etheridge/Auburn University
