Judge Mercier to Hear Georgia Supreme Court Case

Press Release: Atlanta, December 31, 2013 – Superior Court Judge Amanda Mercier of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit has been designated to serve in place of Justice David Nahmias in the appeal of Sewell M.D. et al v. Cancel M.D. et al. (S13G1274). The Supreme Court of Georgia will hear arguments in the case on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014 during its 10:00 A.M. session. The appeal in this Bibb County case stems from a lawsuit brought by a group of anesthesiologists who alleged they were wrongfully terminated after they voiced concerns about fraudulent billing practices by fellow anesthesiologists. In addition to hearing arguments, Judge Mercier will participate in the Court’s decision.

Judge Mercier, 38, was appointed to the Appalachian Judicial Circuit in 2010 by then-Gov. Sonny Perdue. She was re-elected in 2012. The three-county circuit in north Georgia includes Fannin, Gilmer and Pickens counties. Judge Mercier was in private practice for nine years, litigating both criminal and civil cases. During that time, she was also Solicitor of the City of Ellijay, Georgia, and is a past President of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit Bar Association. In 2013, Gov. Nathan Deal appointed her to serve on the Georgia Commission on Family Violence. Judge Mercier is currently the presiding judge for the Appalachian Judicial Circuit’s Mental Health Court.

Judge Mercier graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia. She graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law, and completed a year-long externship in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York in Syracuse, New York. She is a member of the Syracuse Chapter of The Order of the Coif honorary scholastic society.

In her community, Judge Mercier is the past chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee on the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce, and is currently a member of Leadership Georgia, Class of 2014. She is a founding member of the Optimist Club in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Judge Mercier and her husband, Joe, have been married for 12 years, and they have one daughter, Alexandria. They live in Blue Ridge, GA.

The Supreme Court of Georgia maintains a list of judges from around the state. If a justice must recuse himself or herself, the Court appoints the next judge on the list to replace the justice for that particular case.