Monroe resident appointed to replace Ott on bench in Alcovy Judicial Circuit Superior Court

MONROE, GA (Dec. 18, 2022) Gov. Brian P. Kemp announced Friday that he had nominated Walton County Associate Magistrate Judge Kevin G. Morris to replace Alcovy Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge John Ott who is retiring at the end of the month. Morris is an attorney with the law firm of Williams, Morris and Waymire out of Buford and, like Ott, is a Monroe resident.

Morris was one of nine nominees that Kemp had to consider for the position after Ott announced his wish to retire. Superior Court judges have non-partisan elections and Ott was most recently re-elected without opposition in 2020 to serve until 2024. However, he announced his wish to retire in October and asked to be considered for senior judge status.

Nominees under consideration also included current Alcovy District Attorney Randy McGinley who also was elected in 2020 but McGinley declined to be included in the list of nominees, noting he would not seeking the judgeship.

“I love the job of District Attorney and I am committed to these great offices,” McGinley said at the time.

Morris will begin his nominated term on the Alcovy Judicial Circuit Superior Court bench on Jan. 1, 2023 and will then need to run for election to a full term in 2024.

G. Kevin Morris Bio: Morris currently serves as a Walton County Magistrate Court Judge. A native Georgian, he graduated from the University of Georgia in 1994. He then moved to Shizuoka, Japan, to teach English and business communications to Japanese executives. In 1999, Morris graduated from Mercer Law School and began handling complex litigation claims involving local governments. Previously, Morris served as the Deputy County Attorney for Butts and Henry Counties. Since joining his current firm, Williams, Morris, and Waymire, he has continued representing local governments in municipal liability claims. He has handled numerous appeals to the 11th Circuit and routinely appears before the Court for oral argument. As a Magistrate judge, he presides over civil and criminal matters and serves as the Technology Chair for the Council of Magistrate Court Judges. He also teaches classes to new Magistrate judges.

Photo credit: Williams, Morris and Waymire