Christian A. Coomer

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Christian A. Coomer
Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals
Assumed office
October 31, 2018
Appointed byNathan Deal
Preceded byCharlie Bethel
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 14th District
In office
January 10, 2011 – October 15, 2018[1]
Preceded byBarry Loudermilk
Succeeded byMitchell Scoggins[2]
Personal details
Born
Christian Aaron Coomer[3]

(1974-10-31) October 31, 1974 (age 47)
Political partyRepublican
EducationLee University (B.A.)
University of Georgia School of Law (J.D.)

Christian Aaron Coomer (born October 31, 1974)[4] is a Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Education[]

Coomer received his Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee and earned his Juris Doctor at the University of Georgia School of Law.[5]

Legal and military career[]

Coomer's professional experience included operating his own law practice and serving as a judge advocate in the U.S. Air Force Reserve's JAG Corps. Coomer spent four years on active duty with the United States Air Force. Upon separating from active duty, he began serving in the reserve component as a member of Georgia Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve. He has worked as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, represented the Air Force in labor and employment matters before federal and state agencies, served as general counsel to a military hospital, prosecuted courts-martial, trained military members on law enforcement standards and the law of armed conflict, and managed the busiest General Courts-Martial docket in the Air Force. Coomer completed Air Command and Staff College at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He has been awarded the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Medal, among other awards and decorations. He has attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.[5]

State legislator service[]

Coomer was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2010. He served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2011 to 2018.[6] He served as majority whip and member of the standing committees on Appropriations, Banks and Banking, Ethics, Judiciary Noncivil, Juvenile Justice, Retirement, Rules, and Transportation. He was also appointed to the Public Defender Council Legislative Oversight Committee, the Fiscal Affairs Oversight Joint Subcommittee, the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group, and the Transit Study Commission. In 2017, Governor Deal appointed Coomer to the Court Reform Commission. The same year, Judge Coomer was named Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.[5]

Appointment to Georgia Court of Appeals[]

On September 14, 2018, Coomer was appointed to the seat vacated by Charlie Bethel. His appointment was effective October 31, 2018.[7]

Consideration for Georgia Supreme Court[]

In 2018 Coomer was among three candidates under consideration for the Supreme Court of Georgia after the retirement of Harris Hines.[8]

Personal[]

Christian met his wife, Heidi, at Lee University. They have three children, Christian, Collin, and Vivian.[5]

Controversies[]

On March 6, 2020, Coomer was accused in a lawsuit by a former client of malpractice and fraud in a lawsuit.[9]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in May 2020 that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation allegedly opened an investigation into Coomer based, at least in part, on the lawsuit filed by his former client for fraud and malpractice.[10]

Coomer settled the fraud and malpractice lawsuit brought by his former client sometime in late July 2020.[11][12]

The Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission filed formal charges against Judge Christian Coomer on December 28, 2020.[13][14][15] These charges include 26 counts of violations of Georgia's Code of Judicial Conduct relating to a malpractice suit filed against Judge Coomer by a former client, campaign finance violations, and misrepresentations on loan applications and official questionnaires to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the State of Georgia as part of the official judicial nomination application process.

References[]

  1. ^ "Georgia General Assembly". Archived from the original on 2019-10-24. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  2. ^ "Scoggins wins District 14 primary". Archived from the original on 2019-10-24. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  3. ^ https://www.martindale.com/cartersville/georgia/christian-aaron-coomer-2072983-a/[bare URL]
  4. ^ "House Majority Whip Prepares to Leave Legislature for the Bench". finance.yahoo.com. 2018-10-29. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  5. ^ a b c d "Court of Appeals of Georgia: Christian A. Coomer, Judge". www.gaappeals.us. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  6. ^ Wagner, Diane (2018-09-14). "Rep. Coomer appointed to Georgia Court of Appeals". Northwest Georgia News. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  7. ^ "Coomer to be sworn in Oct. 31". AP NEWS. 2018-10-13. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  8. ^ Rankin, Bill (2018-09-12). "Deal gets three new names for Supreme Court vacancy". ajc. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  9. ^ Rankin, Bill. "State Appeals Court judge accused of fraud, malpractice". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  10. ^ Rankin, Bill. "GBI investigating fraud allegations against Court of Appeals judge". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  11. ^ Rankin, Bill. "Ga. judge accused as a lawyer of fraud and malpractice settles lawsuit". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  12. ^ Massara, Jim. "Coomer Settles Malpractice Lawsuit With Cartersville Client". MSN News. Patch.com. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Inquiry Concerning Judge Christian Coomer, Case No. S21Z0595". Georgia Supreme Court Docket. Georgia Supreme Court. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  14. ^ Rankin, Bill. "Ethics charges filed against Appeals Court Judge Christian Coomer". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  15. ^ McDonald, R. Robin. "Judicial Watchdog Files Ethics Charges Against State Appeals Court Judge". The Daily Report. Law.com. Retrieved 30 December 2020.

External links[]

Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals
2018–present
Incumbent
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