Deal announces judicial appointments

Gov. Nathan Deal today announced appointments to fill several judicial vacancies. The Honorable Victoria Darrisaw will fill the vacancy in the Dougherty Judicial Circuit created by the appointment of the Honorable Stephen S. Goss to the Court of Appeals of Georgia. The Honorable Joy R. Parks will fill the vacancy in the Enotah Judicial Circuit created by the resignation of the Honorable Murphy C. Miller. The Honorable Lauren A. Watson will fill the vacancy in the Northern Judicial Circuit created by the resignation of the Honorable Thomas L. Hodges, III. The Honorable Terry N. Massey will fill the vacancy in the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit created by the appointment of the Honorable E. Trenton Brown, III to the Court of Appeals of Georgia. The Honorable Lovett Bennett, Jr. will fill the vacancy in the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit created by the resignation of the Honorable William E. Woodrum, Jr.

The appointments will take effect upon swearing in.

Victoria S. Darrisaw, Dougherty Judicial Circuit
Darrisaw is the Chief Judge of the Dougherty County State Court. She previously served as Magistrate Judge of Dougherty County and as assistant district attorney of the Dougherty Judicial Circuit. Darrisaw earned a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College and a law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. She and her husband, George, have two children and reside in Albany.

Joy R. Parks, Enotah Judicial Circuit
Parks is the Chief Magistrate Judge of the White County Magistrate Court and owns her own firm. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. Parks and her husband, Robert, have one child and reside in Cleveland.

Lauren A. Watson, Northern Judicial Circuit
Watson currently serves as staff attorney to the Honorable Lawton E. Stephens of the Superior Court of the Western Judicial Circuit. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. Watson and her husband, Ken, have one child and reside in Athens.

Terry N. Massey, Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit
Massey is the owner of Massey Law Firm LLC and also serves as municipal court judge for the City of Conyers. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. Massey and his wife, Shelly, have three children and reside in Greensboro.

Lovett Bennett, Jr., Ogeechee Judicial Circuit
Bennett is the sole practitioner of Lovett Bennett, Jr., Attorney at Law, P.C. and also serves as municipal court judge for the cities of Brooklet and Register. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University, a master’s degree in Business Administration from Georgia State University and a law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. Bennett and his wife, Missy, have two children and reside in Statesboro.