Judge Robert “Mack” Crawford of the Superior Court of the Griffin Judicial Circuit has been designated to serve in place of Justice Nels S. D. Peterson in the appeals of Henry County Board of Education v. S.G. (S16G1700) and Freeman v. The State (S17A1040). The Supreme Court of Georgia heard arguments in these two cases on May 15 during its 10 a.m. session. In the first case, the Henry County Board of Education appealed superior court and Georgia Court of Appeals ruling that the school board improperly expelled a high school senior for her role in fighting with another girl. In the second case, a man appealed his conviction in Hall County for disorderly conduct, arguing that his outburst during church was free and protected speech, and the disorderly conduct statute is unconstitutional. In addition to hearing arguments in both cases, Judge Crawford will participate in the Court’s decision.
Judge Crawford, 63, was appointed to the Griffin Judicial Circuit in 2010 by then- Governor Sonny Perdue. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Crawford served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1993 to 2007. He was the Director of the Public Defenders Council from August 2007 to October 2010. Judge Crawford was also an adjunct professor at the University of Georgia’s Griffin Experiment Station from January 2010 to May 2010.
Judge Crawford grew up on a farm in Concord and attended the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the University of Georgia, and Woodrow Wilson College of Law.
Judge Crawford has been awarded honors by the Future Farmers of America and is the former chairman of the Pike County Industrial Authority. He currently serves on the Pike County High School FFA advisory council.
A lifelong resident of Pike County, Judge Crawford and his wife, Jamie, live in Concord and have two adult children.
