GTLA President Pope Langdale Comments on Chief Justice's Retirement

Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Hugh Thompson, who announced Tuesday that he plans to retire in January, wants to give the governor ample time to find a replacement and fill two newly created positions on the state's high court.

But though his departure is still months away, bar leaders are already thinking about the 73-year-old judge's legacy.

"Justice Thompson was a wonderful chief justice due to his easy-going, deliberative and personable approach to lawyers and the law," said Patrise Perkins-Hooker, the Fulton County attorney and the first African-American president of the State Bar of Georgia. "He reached out to help guide the state bar through some difficult times, and he was always able, through the relationships that he developed, to influence the behavior of others. He was a shining example of a professional jurist who treated and respected minorities and women as people entitled to equal treatment."

Robin Frazer Clark, former president of the state bar and the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, called Thompson "a gentle giant of a role model"—one who proved that "the hard hand of justice is often balanced with mercy and that the showing of kindness does not diminish you, but rather makes you greater." She said his legacy will be "his sincere concern for the litigants before him to do justice under the law and at the same time show genuine compassion for those who may be affected by the court's rulings."

Thompson's four-year term as chief ends in August 2017. In a news release, Thompson said he wanted to clear the way for the court to transition from seven to nine justices.

"Our court is undergoing significant change," Thompson said. He added: "I believe that selecting my successor so he or she can start at the same time will make for a smoother transition."

Thompson said he also wanted to fulfill a pledge he made to Presiding Justice P. Harris Hines. Stepping aside early means that Hines will have more time as chief justice before his retirement in 2018.

Serving on the court "has been the fulfillment of dreams," said Thompson, who has been a judge for 45 years. "I have loved every minute of it and have been privileged to serve with the most dedicated, committed and talented group of jurists in the nation."

Michael Terry, a partner with Bondurant Mixson & Elmore who handles appellate work, said Thompson's career has been "marked by courtesy, good humor, intellectual rigor and an innate sense of fair play and fundamental justice." Terry, who spoke at Thompson's investiture, said "He will be missed by the bench, the bar and the people of this state when he retires."

The chief justice is a "somewhat quiet man who spoke out with a strong voice to express his views on the administration of justice," recalled Holland & Knight partner Laurie Webb Daniel, another appellate lawyer who was present at Thompson's investiture. "Best of all—at least from my practitioner's point of view—has been the genteel way that Justice Thompson treats lawyers, whether questioning them in court or simply greeting them at a bar event."

Thompson has made it a habit at oral arguments to take a moment to thank all the lawyers for their presentations and telling them their work helps the court to make better decisions. He closes with a sort of blessing: "Be safe as you travel home."

Thompson, a native Georgian and resident of Milledgeville, was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Zell Miller in 1994. Previously, Thompson served as a superior court judge in the eight-county Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit. He was appointed to that position in 1979 by Gov. George Busbee. He was re-elected repeatedly by the citizens of the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit and served from 1979 to 1994, the last seven years as chief judge, according to his biography on the court website.

Before his appointment as a superior court judge, Justice Thompson served from 1971 to 1979 as both judge of the Milledgeville City Court and judge of the Baldwin County Court (now known as the State Court).

He is married to Jane Thompson, a retired teacher and speech therapist with the Baldwin County School System. The Thompsons have two adult sons.

"We wish Chief Justice Thompson the best as he embarks on the next chapter of his life, and we thank him for his service to our state," said Pope Langdale of Langdale Vallotton in Valdosta and president of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. "His legacy on the bench is only overshadowed by his love for his wife, Jane, and his community—both of whom will surely be happy to see him return home in January."