Hugh P. Thompson at a glance
- Current role
- Former Judge
- Current assignment
- Supreme Court of Georgia
- Jurisdiction
- Georgia · State
- Judicial service
- Former
Hugh P. Thompson
Former Judge · Supreme Court of Georgia
Biography
Professional career
- Judge, Supreme Court of Georgia, 1994-present
- 2013–2017: Chief Justice, elected by fellow justices in 2013
- Hugh Proctor Thompson is a retired American jurist and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, serving from 2013 until his early retirement in January 2017
- 1994–2017: Justice, Georgia Supreme Court, appointed by Governor Zell Miller in 1994
- 1979–1994: Judge, Ocmulgee Superior Court
- 1971–1979: Judge, Milledgeville City Court and Baldwin County Court
Education
- Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in — J.D. (1969)
- Oglethorpe University
- Emory University
Additional information
- In 2024, the Supreme Court of Georgia unveiled a portrait of him in recognition of his service
- He retired in January 2017, seven months before his term was set to end, to allow a smoother transition and honor a pledge to Justice P. Harris Hines
- Originally appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Zell Miller on March 1, 1994.
- Chief Judge 1987–1994
- He received multiple awards, including the Distinguished Service Award from the Baldwin County Junior Chamber of Commerce (1972) and the Outstanding Alumnus Award from Mercer University Law School (1994).
- He was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1970
- Born July 7, 1943.
- Date of birth: 1943-07-07
- His tenure coincided with significant changes, including the expansion of the court from seven to nine justices
- Thompson was born in Macon, Georgia, and subsequently became a longtime resident of Milledgeville in Baldwin County.
- Birth place: Macon, Georgia
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
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.
Uniform Superior, Juvenile, Magistrate, Municipal and Probate Court RulesSupreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules ↗
Sources
Identity source checked August 22, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Supreme Court of Georgia current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 22, 2026
View Supreme Court of Georgia current judicial profile ↗Supreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Supreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules ↗