Deal announces judicial appointments

Gov. Nathan Deal today announced the appointments of Mary Beth Priest and John Worcester to Superior Court judgeships within the Appalachian Judicial Circuit and Eric Norris to the Superior Court judgeship within the Western Judicial Circuit. He also announced the appointment of Tammi Long Hayward to the Clayton County State Court.

The vacancies within the Appalachian Judicial Circuit were created by the appointment of the Honorable Amanda Mercier to the Georgia Court of Appeals and the resignation of the Honorable Roger Bradley. The vacancy within the Western Judicial Circuit was created by the passage of House Bill 279 during the 2015 session of the Georgia General Assembly. The Clayton County State Court vacancy was created by the resignation of the Honorable Morris Braswell. The appointments will take effect upon swearing in.

Mary Beth Priest, Appalachian Judicial Circuit
Priest is an associate with Clark & Clark, Attorneys at Law, P.C. in Ellijay. She earned a bachelor’s degree from North Georgia College & State University and a law degree from the Georgia State University College of Law. She and her husband, Jeremy, have two children and reside in Ellijay.

John E. Worcester, Appalachian Judicial Circuit
Worcester is Chief Juvenile Court judge for the Appalachian Judicial Circuit. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State University, a master’s degree from Troy University and law degrees from Atlanta Law School. He and his wife, Sharon, reside in Jasper.

Eric W. Norris, Western Judicial Circuit
Norris is a solo practitioner and serves as the Oconee County Magistrate Court judge. He earned a bachelor’s degree from North Georgia College & State University and a law degree from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two children and reside in Watkinsville.

Tammi Long Hayward, State Court of Clayton County
Hayward is an associate magistrate judge for the Clayton County Magistrate Court. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from the Emory University School of Law. She and her husband, Marty, have two children and reside in Jonesboro.