In a unanimous decision, the justices of the Georgia Supreme Court have elected Presiding Justice Nels S.D. Peterson to serve as the state’s next Chief Justice. Peterson will succeed current Chief Justice Michael Boggs, who announced his resignation earlier this week to return to private practice in Waycross, effective after March 31st. Peterson, appointed to the Supreme Court in 2016 by then-Governor Nathan Deal, brings a wealth of experience to the role. He previously served as a judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals, general counsel for the University System of Georgia, Georgia’s first solicitor general in the Attorney General’s Office, and executive counsel to the governor. He was elected to full six-year terms in 2018 and last year, demonstrating strong confidence in his abilities. The Chief Justice in Georgia serves a four-year term, acting as the spokesperson for both the Supreme Court and the entire state judiciary. The Chief Justice also presides over the court’s oral arguments. “We are confident that Justice Peterson will serve the people of Georgia with integrity and distinction in this vital role,” a statement from the court read. In light of Peterson’s elevation, the justices also unanimously elected Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren as the next Presiding Justice