Christian A. Coomer | |
---|---|
Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals | |
In office October 31, 2018 –August 16, 2023 | |
Appointed by | Nathan Deal |
Preceded by | Charlie Bethel |
Succeeded by | J. Wade Padgett |
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 14th District | |
In office January 10,2011 –October 15,2018 [1] | |
Preceded by | Barry Loudermilk |
Succeeded by | Mitchell Scoggins [2] |
Personal details | |
Born | Christian Aaron Coomer [3] October 31,1974 |
Spouse | Heidi Coomer |
Children | 3 |
Education | Lee University (BA) University of Georgia (JD) Air Command and Staff College |
Christian Aaron Coomer (born October 31,1974) [4] is an American lawyer who served as a judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals from 2018 to 2023. In August 2023,Coomer was removed from office by the Georgia Supreme Court for "patterns of bad faith behavior".
Coomer received his Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Lee University in Cleveland,Tennessee and earned his Juris Doctor at the University of Georgia School of Law. [5]
Coomer's professional experience included operating his own law practice and serving as a judge advocate in the U.S. Air Force Reserve's JAG Corps. Coomer spent four years on active duty with the United States Air Force. Upon separating from active duty,he began serving in the reserve component as a member of Georgia Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve. He has worked as a special assistant United States attorney,in which he represented the Air Force in labor and employment matters before federal and state agencies,served as general counsel to a military hospital,prosecuted courts-martial,trained military members on law enforcement standards and the law of armed conflict,and managed the General Courts-Martial docket in the Air Force. Coomer completed Air Command and Staff College. He has been awarded the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,among other awards and decorations. He has attained the rank of lieutenant colonel. [5]
Coomer served as a Republican in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2011 to 2018. [6] He served as Republican majority whip and member of the standing committees on Appropriations,Banks and Banking,Ethics,Judiciary Noncivil,Juvenile Justice,Retirement,Rules,and Transportation. He was also appointed to the Public Defender Council Legislative Oversight Committee,the Fiscal Affairs Oversight Joint Subcommittee,the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group,and the Transit Study Commission. In 2017,Governor Deal appointed Coomer to the Court Reform Commission. The same year,Coomer was named Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. [5]
On September 14,2018,Coomer was appointed to the seat vacated by Charlie Bethel. His appointment was effective October 31,2018. [7]
In 2018 Coomer was among three candidates under consideration for the Supreme Court of Georgia after the retirement of Harris Hines. [8]
On March 6,2020,Coomer was accused in a lawsuit by a former client of malpractice and fraud. [9]
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in May 2020 that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation allegedly opened an investigation into Coomer based,at least in part,on the lawsuit filed by his former client for fraud and malpractice. [10]
Coomer settled the fraud and malpractice lawsuit brought by his former client sometime in late July 2020. [11] [12]
The Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission filed formal charges against Coomer on December 28,2020. [13] [14] [15] These charges included 36 counts of alleged violations of Georgia's Code of Judicial Conduct. The Georgia Supreme Court rejected the recommendations of the Commission as made, [16] [17] the Commission made revised recommendations [18] and,on August 16,2023,the Georgia Supreme Court removed Christian from office for patterns of bad faith behavior regarding his use of campaign funds and his dealings with a legal client. [19] [20] [21] The former client that had sued Christian had said,“If I’d have thought all this would happen I don’t think I would have said a word. He’s a good man,but he screwed up this time. I bet he never makes this mistake again for as long as he lives.” [22]
Christian met his wife,Heidi,at Lee University. They have three children,Christian,Collin,and Vivian. [5]
Troy Anthony Davis was a man convicted of and executed for the August 19,1989 murder of police officer Mark MacPhail in Savannah,Georgia. MacPhail was working as a security guard at a Burger King restaurant and was intervening to defend a man being assaulted in a nearby parking lot when he was murdered. During Davis's 1991 trial,seven witnesses testified they had seen Davis shoot MacPhail,and two others testified Davis had confessed the murder to them. There were 34 witnesses who testified for the prosecution,and six others for the defense,including Davis. Although the murder weapon was not recovered,ballistic evidence presented at trial linked bullets recovered at or near the scene to those at another shooting in which Davis was also charged. He was convicted of murder and various lesser charges,including the earlier shooting,and was sentenced to death in August 1991.
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