Senate confirms Geraghty to be federal judge in Atlanta
The U.S. District Court in Atlanta will soon have its full complement of judges thanks to Thursday’s confirmation of civil rights attorney Sarah Geraghty.
Geraghty, approved by the U.S. Senate with a 52-48 vote, becomes the second nominee of President Joe Biden to join the 11-member court. Federal defender Victoria Calvert was also approved by the Senate on March 22, with a 50-46 vote.
Geraghty has been a lawyer with the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta since 2003. She litigated cases challenging unfair bail policies, private probation practices, open records law violations and inhumane prison and jail conditions.
In 2017, Emory University School of Law gave Geraghty the Unsung Devotion to Those Most in Need Award. In 2020, she was named “Attorney of the Year” by the Daily Report, an Atlanta legal publication, and given the “Legal Legend” award by the American Constitutional Society.
All 50 Democrats voted in favor of Geraghty and were joined by GOP senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Susan Collins of Maine.
Both of Georgia’s Democratic senators praised the bipartisan vote.
“I am confident Ms. Geraghty will apply the law impartially with integrity,” said Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Sen. Raphael Warnock said of Geraghty: “Her qualifications are impeccable and as a career civil rights attorney, Ms. Geraghty’s decades of working to seek justice for the people of Georgia will serve her well in this role.”
About the Authors
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
