Griffin Speaks
JUSTICE HAROLD D. MELTON
On
Monday June 20th, 2005 Greg Jr., Christopher and I traveled to
Atlanta, Georgia to attend the Investiture of my good friend Eleventh
Circuit Court of Appeals Judge William H. Pryor. It was a grand ceremony.
The following day I went to my post office box and there was an invitation
to another grand event. My good friend Harold D. Melton had mailed me an
invitation to his Investiture. He was appointed to the Georgia Supreme
Court. So on Thursday, June 23rd, 2005 I loaded up the car with
the whole family and we returned to Atlanta, Georgia.
My
friend, Justice Harold D. Melton, was the first African American chief legal
advisor to a Georgia governor. Prior to joining Governor Perdue’s staff,
Harold spent eleven years practicing in the Georgia Attorney General Office,
serving two Attorneys General, Mike Bowers and my childhood homeboy,
Thurbert Baker. He represented the Georgia Lottery Corporation during the
start-up process. He later moved to the Business Finance Section, before
attaining the rank of Senior Assistant to the Attorney General in 1997,
serving as section leader for Tax. He later served as Section Leader in the
Consumer Interests Division. Justice Melton received his Bachelor of Science
degree from Auburn University where he served as the first African-American
SGA President in 1987 and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia
in 1991. He is married to the lovely Kim Melton, and they have three
wonderful children Lauren, David and Julian.
I
met Georgia Supreme Court Justice Harold D. Melton approximately seventeen
(17) years ago when he was twenty-one years old. He had just completed his
studies at Auburn University and was now working for the summer in Alabama
Governor Guy Hunt’s office, which was downstairs from my office in the
State House. We became fast friends and we kept in touch with each other
over the years. Debra and I attended his wedding and at one point I never
visited Atlanta without dropping by his office to say hello.
On
Thursday we sat behind the family in the Georgia House of Representatives
Chambers at the State Capitol. I had to hold back the tears as Harold took
his oath of office becoming the third African American Justice sitting on
the Georgia Supreme Court. Harold,
38, is the first appointment by a Republican governor to the state’s
highest court in 137 years. He fills the unexpired term of former Chief
Justice Norman Fletcher. Justice Melton will face re-election in 2008.
Governor
Perdue said that, “Harold Melton embodies the conservative values that I
believe will best serve the state of Georgia on the Supreme Court,” “His
experience in the courtroom has taught him to approach every decision he
makes with integrity and fairness. Harold Melton shares my philosophy that
jurists should apply the constitution and laws passed by the legislative
branch, upholding the strict separation of powers that is integral to our
government’s system of checks and balances.”
A
wonderful reception followed the ceremony. We enjoyed chatting with Justice
Melton’s family and other friends. My dad and kids were thrilled to have
the opportunity to take a picture with Governor Sonny Perdue.
It
is my prediction that Harold D. Melton will eventually be appointed to the
Supreme Court of the United States. Now remember that you heard it here in
the Historic Tuskegee Times first. Have a great week!
Greg
Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles by
visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com
