Georgia judge gives up federal bench seat for state service

“I like new challenges and doing new things,” he said. “I think that it’s my duty to look at the world around me and my strengths and weaknesses and ask myself fairly often, ‘How can I, before I leave this earth, make the biggest impact that I can make in a positive way?’ I felt like being on the (Georgia) Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals would allow me to make a larger contribution.”

Kemp said at the investiture ceremony that Epps is “a leader, both in the courtroom but also in his community.” Dozens of past and present Georgia judges, lawyers and elected officials gathered inside the State Capitol for the occasion.

“Judge Epps has shown that he has the integrity, judgment and expertise worthy of this position on the Court of Appeals,” the governor said. “Those are traits I always look for when considering these type of appointments, because the cases that come before these judges grow in importance and impact every year.”

The Court of Appeals is the state’s intermediate appellate court, comprising 15 judges. They decide many of the complex civil issues in the state, as well as some criminal matters, often setting legal precedent.

At his investiture, Epps said he aims to follow in the footsteps of the two federal judges he’s been mentored by: Richard Story and J. Randal Hall. He said they show everyone kindness and respect, and “treat the rule of law as not an abstract theory, but a deeply personal discipline of self-restraint.”

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

“My promise is to approach every appeal with an open mind, to remain anchored to the rule of law, and treat every litigant and practitioner with the dignity, patience and civility they deserve,” he said.

Epps’ last day as a federal magistrate judge was Monday. He’s going straight into his new job.

Hall, who worked closely with Epps in Augusta, said the younger jurist “has developed and matured into a gifted judge.”

“His ability to quickly master the facts and issues of each matter and produce thoughtful and correct orders is impressive,” Hall said at the ceremony. “To the members of the Court of Appeals, you are getting a splendid colleague.”

Epps said he’s looking forward to having more public interaction as a state judge and is undaunted by the fact he’ll have to seek reelection in the role.

“I love people,” he told the AJC. “It gives me an opportunity to be out there. As a federal judge, you’re kind of cloistered away from people. We can’t talk to the media, and we’re not elected, so we don’t go out there and shake hands and give speeches.”

Epps was born and raised in Harlem, Georgia, a small town about 30 minutes outside Augusta. He and his wife, Amy, are high school sweethearts who married during his first year of law school at the University of Georgia.

After graduating with a law degree in 1998, Epps spent two years in Atlanta clerking for Story in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the largest of three federal trial courts in the state. He said Story, now a senior judge based in Gainesville, encouraged him to keep an eye on vacancies for federal judgeships.

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

“Seeing how much he cared about the litigants that were in front of him and how challenging the work was academically, I just loved every minute of it,” Epps said of his time with Story.

Seeking a quieter pace of life after two years in Atlanta, Epps and his wife moved in 2000 to Savannah, where he joined the law firm now known as HunterMaclean as a business litigator. After the couple’s first child was born, they returned to Augusta in 2002 to be closer to family.

Epps worked as a partner in the Augusta and Atlanta offices of the multinational law firm now known as Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton until his appointment to the bench at the age of 40. His work for the firm included representing multinational corporations in supply chain disputes, injured plaintiffs in product liability cases, and commercial policyholders in insurance matters.

“I’ve always preferred complex litigation,” Epps told the AJC. “I like to sit down and craft briefs that argue legal points and the meaning of contractual terms. I’m not so much someone who likes to, you know, take depositions and cross-examine people. I prefer the backroom, I guess academic-type work.”