Georgia Court of Appeals
Judge J. Wade Padgett is a dedicated public servant, educator, and longtime member of the judiciary. He was appointed by Governor Brian Kemp as the 96th judge of the Court of Appeals. He was sworn in to that position on April 3, 2024.
Judge Padgett was born in Atlanta but has spent the majority of his professional career in the Augusta area. He obtained a BA in history from the University of Georgia in 1987. He earned his law degree from Georgia State University in 1990. While in law school, he received several awards and was extremely involved with the Student Trial Advocacy program led by Attorney Tom Jones. Judge Padgett became a member of the Georgia Bar in 1990.
Following law school, Judge Padgett served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Augusta Judicial Circuit where he served as a violent crimes prosecutor and led the office’s team dealing with crimes against children. He began his private practice of law as an associate with O. Franklin Askin, Jr. P.C. and eventually formed his own law firm. While in private practice, Judge Padgett represented individual and corporate clients in a variety of areas including corporate operations, personal injury, criminal defense, domestic relations, probate and other areas of the law. Judge Padgett represented clients in both Georgia state and federal courts.
In 1995, Judge Padgett was appointed as an Associate Magistrate Judge for Columbia County. He was elected Chief Magistrate of Columbia County in 2005. Because his duties as a Magistrate Judge were part-time, he also practiced law while serving in Magistrate Court. During his time as a member of the Council of Magistrate Judges, he chaired the Uniform Rules Committee. Judge Padgett served as Chief Magistrate of Columbia County until he was appointed to the Superior Court bench.
On February 3, 2009, Judge Padgett was appointed to the Superior Court bench by Governor Sonny Perdue. He served as a Superior Court judge for the Augusta Judicial Circuit and was one of three judges appointed to the Columbia Judicial Circuit when that circuit was formed in 2021. While on the Superior Court bench, Judge Padgett reformed and led the New Judge Orientation program for all new Superior Court judges in Georgia, beginning in 2014. He was elected to serve as an officer of the Council of Superior Court Judges, ultimately serving as President of the Council in 2021-2022. In 2024, Judge Padgett was the recipient of the Emory Findley award, an award honoring service to the Council of Superior Court judges.
Judge Padgett has a passion for teaching. He has served as a presenter in educational classes for law students, lawyers, judges, and others. He created a program known as Teenage Years 101 that was designed to provide realistic, actionable information to teens and their families on topics relating to teen decision-making and the impact of those decisions. He has served as an advisor and presenter to the Council of Probate Judges. He has led countless educational sessions for the Council of Superior Court judges. He has spoken at programs presented by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, the Institute for Continuing Judicial Education, and several local bar associations. The Georgia Bar Association awarded Judge Padgett the Spirit of Justice Award in 2023 which honors individuals dedicated to the “unwavering commitment to and creating a legacy of excellence in the judiciary.”
The best evidence of his passion for teaching, however, may be found in the podcast series that he created and continues to co-host. Judge Padgett and Judge Tain Kell (ret.) co-host a podcast known as The Good Judge-Ment Podcast where they discuss topics on Georgia law. They began the podcast in 2018 and it is popular with both lawyers and judges as a unique medium for legal education.
Judge Padgett is also a published author. His book, From Court in the Woods to Court in the Metropolis, A History of the Augusta Judicial Circuit, was published in 2017. His work as an author earned accolades. He was nominated as Georgia Author of the Year (History category) by the Georgia Writer’s Association and the Historical Records Advisory Council presented him the 2017 Award for Excellence for Local History. Judge Padgett’s wife, Alice W. Padgett, serves as Probate Judge for Columbia County. They have two children, Matthew and Jordan. They also have grandchildren whom they adore. Judge Padgett resides in Evans, Georgia.
