DeKalb, Rockdale officials among five appointments announced by Georgia Gov. Kemp

ATLANTA– Gov. Brian P. Kemp has announced four judicial appointments and his intentions to appoint a district attorney for the Houston Judicial Circuit.

Judge Charles E. Bailey will fill the seat on the DeKalb County State Court formerly held by the Honorable Kimberly Alexander who was appointed to the DeKalb County State Court Jury Division, effective August 31, 2021. Ana Maria Martinez will fill the seat vacated by the Honorable Dax Lopez. Judge Ronnie Thompson will fill the seat on the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit created by the passage of HB 786 during the 2020 session of the Georgia General Assembly. Judge Richard Read will fill the seat on the Rockdale County State Court created by the passage of SB 508 during the 2020 session of the Georgia General Assembly. Finally, Governor Kemp intends to appoint Mr. William Kendall to be District Attorney of the Houston Judicial Circuit. This vacancy was created by the resignation of George H. Hartwig, III.

Judge Bailey has served as the sole practitioner at the Law Office of Charlie E. Bailey since 2010, as well as a registered neutral on the Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution. Additionally, he has served as a judge on the Decatur Municipal Court since 2016 and a substitute judge on the State Court of DeKalb County, Traffic Division since 2016. From 2013 to 2015, Bailey served as a substitute judge on the DeKalb County Recorders Court. Prior to that, he was an attorney at the Law Office of Warner Mayoue Bates, PC from 2002 to 2010. Bailey received his Bachelors of Arts from Vanderbilt University and received his Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt Law School.

Ana Maria Martinez has served as a staff attorney at the DeKalb State Court, Division Six, for the Honorable Dax E. Lopez since May of 2013. She also serves as president of the Latino Law Foundation. Previously, she worked as an attorney at Owen, Gleaton, Egan, Jones & Sweeney, LLP from 2009-2013. She has held various leadership positions at the Georgia State Bar, as well as the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association, the Atlanta Bar Association, and the DeKalb Bar Association. She has been recognized as a 40 Under 40 award recipient by both the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. She received her B.B.A., cum laude, in Marketing from the University of Georgia in 2004 and her J.D., cum laude and with Pro Bono distinction, from the Georgia State University College of Law in 2009. She is a Barrister in the Lamar Inn of Court and a LEAD Atlanta graduate.

Ronnie Thompson has served as an Effingham County State Court Judge since January 2003, and previously worked as a practicing attorney for 13 years specializing in criminal defense, civil litigation, and real estate transactions. Thompson received the Champion of Justice Award from the Georgia Council of State Court Judges for his handling of Jane Doe v. USA Gymnastics. Thompson received his Bachelors of Arts in History from Armstrong State College and received his Juris Doctorate from Cumberland School of Law.

Richard Read has served as a senior assistant district attorney for the Rockdale Judicial Circuit since August 2018, and previously served as district attorney from January 1999 – December 2017. He also previously worked as an attorney at Schneider, Read, and LaMalva from November 1996 – December 1998, and was chief assistant district attorney for the Rockdale Judicial Circuit from June 1992 to October 1996. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and has also served as a Georgia high school mock trial coach since 2008. Read received his Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science from the University of Georgia and received his Juris Doctorate from University of Georgia School of Law.

William Kendall has served as the chief assistant district attorney for the Houston Judicial Circuit since March 2021, and previously served as assistant district attorney from April 2019 to  March 2021. Kendall also served as the assistant district attorney for the Cordele Judicial Circuit from December 2018 through March 2020. Prior to his legal career, he worked as a Marine Criminal Investigator from 2009-2013 and as a Marine Military Police/Military Working Dog Handler from 2006-2009. Kendall received his Bachelors of Science in Homeland Security and Public Safety from Vincennes University and received his Juris Doctorate from Southern Illinois University School of Law.