--- title: "Harold D. Melton | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/harold-d-melton-4092" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-22" --- # Harold D. Melton Supreme Court of Georgia · Judge ## Profile - Court: Supreme Court of Georgia - State: Georgia - Role: Judge - Service status: former - Last verified: 2026-08-22 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, Supreme Court of Georgia, 2005-present - In 2026, Melton was appointed by a federal judge to mediate a dispute between Fulton County and the U.S. Department of Justice over the return of 2020 election records seized in an FBI raid - In 2022, he became the first expert-in-residence at Georgia State University College of Law, serving as a special advisor to the dean for institutional engagement - Harold David Melton is a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, serving from 2018 until his retirement in 2021 - He became Chief Justice on September 4, 2018, succeeding Harris Hines, and announced his retirement effective July 1, 2021 ### Education - University of Georgia School of Law in — J.D. (1991) - He graduated from Joseph Wheeler High School in Marietta, obtained a B.S. in International Business and Spanish from Auburn University in 1984, and later became the first African-American president of Auburn’s Student Government Association. - Emory University — J.D. ### Additional information - After retiring, Melton joined Troutman Pepper as a partner in 2021. - Appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue on July 1, 2005 to fill a vacancy, Melton served 16 years on the Georgia Supreme Court. - Born September 25, 1966, Washington, D.C.. - Date of birth: 1966-09-25 - Melton grew up in Atlanta’s East Pointe and Marietta neighborhoods, the son of Carole H. Melton and Augustus A. Melton Jr., the first Black person to manage Washington, D.C.’s National Airport. - He also remains active in community leadership, including board roles with Atlanta Youth Academies and Young Life Ministries - Birth place: Washington, D.C. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### electronic devices and recording Scope: statewide Georgia's class-specific Uniform Court Rules govern electronic devices and recording in state trial courts. Before using recording, photography, livestreaming, or similar courtroom technology, confirm the governing rule and the assigned court's procedure. Evidence excerpt: Uniform Superior, Juvenile, Magistrate, Municipal and Probate Court Rules [Supreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules](https://www.gasupreme.us/rules/amendments-to-rules) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/4092/harold-d-melton/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/4092/harold-d-melton/) - [Supreme Court of Georgia current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/4092/harold-d-melton/) - [Supreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules](https://www.gasupreme.us/rules/amendments-to-rules) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/4092/harold-d-melton/) - [Harold Melton (Georgia) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Harold_Melton_(Georgia)#:~:text=8%20Footnotes-,Biography,assistant%20attorney%20general%20in%20Alabama.) - [Former Chief Justice Harold Melton Receives 2026 Ben F. Johnson Jr. Award - Georgia State University News - College of Law -](https://news.gsu.edu/2026/03/26/former-chief-justice-harold-melton-receives-2026-ben-f-johnson-jr-award) - [Wikidata: Harold Melton](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16196597) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/harold-d-melton-4092", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/harold-d-melton-4092", "name": "Harold D. Melton | KnowJudges", "description": "Harold D. Melton, Supreme Court of Georgia. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-08-22", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/harold-d-melton-4092#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/harold-d-melton-4092#judge", "name": "Harold D. 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