Presiding Judge M. Yvette Miller, the first African American woman to serve on the Georgia Court of Appeals is retiring
After 25 years of service to the Georgia Court of Appeals, including two years as a presiding judge, Judge Miller will retire at the end of her term in December.
The court hosted a retirement ceremony on October 24, during which members of Georgia’s legal community expressed gratitude for her years of service. In her remarks, Presiding Judge Elizabeth Barnes said that, while “it is never easy to be the first,” Miller had “embraced her role admirably with joy and enthusiasm, working hard to promote values of justice and fairness, diversity and inclusion, as well as compassion and empathy.” She thanked Judge Miller ” for the enduring change and service, you’ve brought to this court, to the bench, to the bar and to the community.”
Supreme Court of Georgia Justice John J. Ellington and other jurists shared anecdotes of memorable time spent with Miller on and off the bench. Speaking to those assembled at the court as well as those viewing the live-streamed ceremony online, Justice Miller reflected on her long judicial career:
“As the first African-American woman to serve, I actually felt ready and prepared. I thought, ‘This is going to be wonderful.’ I also felt, though seriously, that God was presenting me with a new opportunity to make a positive difference in this great state. I trusted his plan,” Miller said. “I’m glad to say that over the last 25 years, I have been more blessed than I could have ever imagined.”
“As I complete these 25 years on the court, after practicing law many years and a stint as a business owner in South Georgia, it’s time to move on while I can still function effectively,” Miller said. “I’ve enjoyed public service, but it’s time for a new challenge.”