A lifelong Henry Countian is vacating his seat on the Superior Court bench to accept an appointment to the Georgia Court of Appeals.

  John A. “Trea” Pipkin III was one of two judges named by Gov. Brian Kemp to the appellate court in a move that was announced March 26. Pipkin has been a Henry County Superior Court judge for two years, and his seat is on the ballot in this year’s general election.

  Born and raised in Henry County, the 39-year-old has spent his entire legal career in public service. In 2005 he became a prosecutor in the Flint Circuit District Attorney’s Office and worked there seven years before accepting an appointment to become solicitor-general for Henry County State Court. He served in that role until January of 2018, when he was sworn in by then-Gov. Nathan Deal to succeed retiring Superior Court Judge Wade Crumbley.

  Pipkin has served as an adjunct professor at Gordon State College and the Emory University School of Law. He earned his associate’s degree from Reinhardt College, bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, and law degree from Georgia State University College of Law. His past civic affiliations have included membership in the Henry County Rotary Club as well as stints on the boards of Haven House and Speedway Children’s Charities. He and his wife reside in McDonough.

  The Georgia Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in Georgia. It was established in 1906 and has 15 judges who serve in five divisions. The Court of Appeals has statewide appellate jurisdiction of all cases except those involving constitutional questions, murder, and habeas corpus cases where original appellate jurisdiction lies with the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals may certify legal questions to the Supreme Court.