United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
About This Court
The Northern District of Georgia is one of three federal judicial districts in Georgia and sits within the Eleventh Circuit. The district covers the northern portion of the state, including the Atlanta metropolitan area, and encompasses a substantial share of Georgia's population and commercial activity. Atlanta serves as the primary seat of the court.
The district is organized into four divisions: Atlanta, Gainesville, Newnan, and Rome. Each division holds court in its respective city, though the Atlanta Division handles by far the largest share of the docket given the population and business concentration in that metropolitan area.
As a major urban federal court, the Northern District of Georgia handles a wide range of civil and criminal matters, including complex commercial litigation, securities cases, and significant federal criminal prosecutions. The presence of numerous Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the Atlanta area contributes to a robust civil docket.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Georgia.
Divisions
Atlanta Division (Atlanta), Gainesville Division (Gainesville), Newnan Division (Newnan), Rome Division (Rome)
Caseload
The Northern District of Georgia carries one of the heavier dockets in the Eleventh Circuit, reflecting Atlanta's status as a major commercial and financial hub. The court sees significant volumes of civil rights, employment, securities, and complex commercial litigation, as well as federal criminal cases involving drug trafficking and fraud.
Bar Admission
Attorneys must be admitted to the Bar of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia to practice before the court, which generally requires active membership in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia. Attorneys not admitted in Georgia may seek admission pro hac vice for individual cases upon sponsorship by a locally admitted attorney.
Clerk's Office
Richard B. Russell Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 75 Ted Turner Drive SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 215-1600
Active Judges 19
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Batten | George W. Bush | 2006 | University of Georgia School of Law |
| Jean-Paul Boulee | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | University of Georgia School of Law |
| Michael Brown | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | University of Georgia School of Law |
| Victoria Calvert | Joseph R. Biden | 2022 | New York University School of Law |
| Mark Cohen | Barack Obama | 2014 | Emory University School of Law |
| Clarence Cooper | William J. Clinton | 1994 | Emory University School of Law |
| Orinda Evans | Jimmy Carter | 1979 | Emory University School of Law |
| Sarah Geraghty | Joseph R. Biden | 2022 | University of Michigan Law School |
| Steven Grimberg | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | Emory University School of Law |
| Willis Hunt | William J. Clinton | 1995 | Emory University School of Law |
| Tiffany Johnson | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | Wake Forest University School of Law |
| Steve Jones | Barack Obama | 2011 | University of Georgia School of Law |
| Leigh May | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Georgia School of Law |
| Charles Pannell | William J. Clinton | 1999 | University of Georgia School of Law |
| William Ray | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | University of Georgia School of Law |
| Eleanor Ross | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Houston Law Center |
| Richard Story | William J. Clinton | 1998 | University of Georgia School of Law |
| Thomas Thrash | William J. Clinton | 1997 | Harvard Law School |
| Amy Totenberg | Barack Obama | 2011 | Harvard Law School |
Local Rules
112 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.