Gov. Brian Kemp discusses decision to appoint Columbus native Ben Land to Georgia Supreme Court

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — After Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Columbus native and current Georgia Court of Appeals judge Ben Land to be the state’s next Supreme Court justice, he spoke with WRBL News 3’s Chuck Williams to provide detail on his decision.

Kemp appointed Ben Land on Thursday to fill the vacancy created by Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs’ resignation earlier this year.  

“Well I think one thing that stood out to me is that, I mean he obviously got the legal educational horsepower to do it, but one of the things he talked to me a lot about was just his well-rounded experience,” Kemp said.

He added, “being a private sector lawyer, being a superior court judge, serving on the court of appeals, I mean it’s really a kind of an all of the above experience that I think will really make him a great member of the court and really help move the court in the right direction in the years to come.”

The governor also touched on having a representation from all over the state among the court when he spoke to WRBL on Thursday.

“It is great to have representation on the court from all over the state, so having a justice from the Columbus area, in this part of the state is very important and that had a big part to do with my decision as well,” Kemp expressed.

“After careful consideration of multiple accomplished and noteworthy candidates, I’m proud to announce Ben Land as my appointment to serve on the Georgia Supreme Court,” Kemp said in a statement. “Judge Land has earned the respect of his peers and hardworking Georgians through his commitment to fairness and impartiality, his strong work ethic, and his integrity. His extensive experience as a former litigator and judge will make him a valuable addition to the Supreme Court as he continues his service to the people of our state.”

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Columbus native Judge Ben Land appointed by governor to Georgia Supreme Court

Ben Land, is a lifelong resident of Columbus and was initially appointed as a judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals on July 20, 2022, by Gov. Brian Kemp. He became the first Columbus attorney to serve on this court in its 116-year history. 

In 2018, then-Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Land to a vacant Superior Court seat in the Chattahoochee Circuit.

Before his judicial career, Ben Land practiced law in Columbus for nearly 26 years at Buchanan & Land LLP, focusing on civil litigation and trial practice. A portion of that time, he was in practice with his brother.

Ben Land’s pro bono work earned him the William B. Spann, Jr. Award for successfully handling a case from trial court to the Georgia Supreme Court. 

Watch the full reaction from Judge Ben Land on him being appointed by Gov. Kemp to Georgia Supreme Court below: