Supreme Court of Georgia (U.S. state)

The Supreme Court of Georgia is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was established in 1845 as a three-member panel, grew to six members, then to seven in 1945, and to nine in 2017. Since 1896 the justices have been elected by the people of the state in statewide non-partisan elections for six-year terms, with vacancies filled by gubernatorial appointment. Its first Chief Justice, Joseph Henry Lumpkin, was appointed in 1863. Under the state constitution the Chief Justice is the chief presiding and administrative officer of the court, and the justices also elect a Presiding Justice to serve when the Chief Justice is absent or disqualified.