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To the Editor:

The State Bar of Georgia extends condolences to the family, colleagues and many friends of Judge Clyde L. Reese III of the Court of Appeals of Georgia on his passing at the age of 64.

A Douglas County resident and member of the Georgia Bar since 1996, Judge Reese began his legal career in public service, working as an assistant attorney general and later as deputy general counsel of the State Health Planning Agency before going into private law practice for four years. He returned to public service in 2007 as general counsel of the state Department of Community Health.

In 2010, Judge Reese was appointed as commissioner of the Department of Community Health. The following year, he was appointed as commissioner of the state Department of Community Services and returned to the Community Health commissioner’s post in 2013, where he served until his 2016 appointment by Gov. Nathan Deal to the Court of Appeals. He was elected to a six-year term in 2018.

Judge Reese further served the justice system as a member of the Georgia Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism, by establishing the Judge Clyde Reese Book Award scholarship at Mercer University Law School and as co-chair of the State Bar of Georgia SOLACE Committee.

The exemplary career of Judge Clyde Reese is an inspiration to all Georgia lawyers and judges. We appreciate and will remember his many contributions to the cause of justice in our state.

Sincerely,
 
Sarah B. “Sally” Akins
President, State Bar of Georgia