Walton County’s Judge Ott to hear Georgia Supreme Court case

Alcovy Judicial Circuit Supreme Court Chief Judge John M. Ott has been designated to serve on the Georgia Supreme Court next week in place of Justice Nels S. D. Peterson. Ott will hear the appeal of Georgia Ports Authority v. Lawyer (S17G1951) beginning at 10 a.m. on May 22, 2018. Designated judges are appointed when a justice must recuse himself or herself from a particular case. The Supreme Court of Georgia keeps a list of select judges from around the state and appoints the next judge on the list when the need arises.

According to a press release from the Georgia Supreme Court, “in this case, the Ports Authority is appealing a Georgia Court of Appeals ruling that it is not immune from a lawsuit brought by a man injured on a ship who was awarded $4.5 million in damages. In addition to hearing arguments, Ott will participate in the Court’s decision.”

Bio, Judge John Ott

Chief Judge Ott, 63, was appointed to the Superior Court of the Alcovy Judicial Circuit by then-Gov. Joe Frank Harris on Aug. 16, 1990. He became Chief Judge in 2005. The Alcovy Judicial Circuit covers Newton and Walton counties. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Chief Judge Ott was District Attorney in the Alcovy Judicial Circuit from 1984-1990.

Chief Judge Ott served as the Administrative Judge for the 10^th Judicial District and was on the Executive Council of The Superior Court Judges and the Judicial Council for the State of Georgia. He is currently the Chairman of the Personnel Committee for the Superior Court Judges and also serves as the Superior Court Judge representative on the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision and the Advisory Committee for the Georgia Department of Community Supervision.

Chief Judge Ott obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and his law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. He is married to Lisa Lingner Ott and has a stepson, daughter and two grandchildren.