By Ashley Fuller
Cherokee Tribune
September 16, 2009

The process for finding a third state court judge for Cherokee County is now under way.

A list of 15 nominees for the bench has been created, and the nominees have until Sept. 28 to submit a completed application package to the state Judicial Nominating Commission. A final applicant list then will be released of the candidates who have accepted the nomination…

Attorneys with private law firms who were nominated are Canton attorneys Benson Chambers Jr., Jonathan A. Kesler, Nancy Pasterz, Jeffrey Rusbridge and Tim White and Woodstock attorneys Gregory A. Hicks, Hugh M. Dorsey III and Thomas Holbird Jr…

Once the final list of nominees has been determined, interviews with the 23-person nominating commission will be scheduled at the state bar office in Atlanta. The 15- minute interviews are scheduled for Oct. 13.

“It is just a way to get to know the person better,” Ms. Watson said about the interviews. “It is to find out what their judicial temperament might be.”

The commission will create a short list of nominees that it will send to the governor’s office.

Governor Sonny Perdue then will schedule interviews with the shortlist nominees and make his appointment.

No timeline has been established for by when a third state court nominee will be named.