Christopher Charles Edwards
Former Griffin Judicial Circuit Chief Judge
Christopher Charles Edwards (Judge Edwards) is among the very few former Georgia Superior Court judges returning to private jury trial practice after serving as a Georgia jury trial judge presiding over many hundreds of jury trials over 20 years.
Educational Background
He received his B.A. from Vanderbilt University and his J.D. from Nova Southeastern Law School. Judge Edwards began his career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Griffin Judicial Circuit, then continued as an Assistant District Attorney in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit for five years, from 1981 to 1986. Beginning in 1986, Judge Edwards maintained a private mostly civil jury trial practice for twelve years.
Before taking the bench, Judge Edwards both prosecuted and defended a wide variety of felonies, including both prosecuting and defending murder, and also a wide variety of civil cases, to jury verdict as lead counsel. After seventeen years of jury trials, Judge Edwards was elected Superior Court judge in August, 1998 and began his first of six four year terms on January 1, 1999. He was re-elected in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 without opposition.
Experience serving as a Judge
Judge Edwards has served on five committees of the Council of Superior Court Judges: pattern jury charge, benchbook, uniform rules, bench and bar, and access to justice and fairness in the courts. Judge Edwards also now serves on the Board of Governors and on the Board of the General Practice and Trial Section of the State Bar of Georgia.
Judge Edwards served as a Superior Court Judge for over 22 years and is in his 42nd year as a Georgia lawyer. He has authored original legal articles published in “The Verdict”, published by the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, “The Family Law Journal” and “Calendar Call” published by the State Bar of Georgia, The Georgia Courts Journal published by the Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts, and “The Champion”, nationally published by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Awards & Distinctions
Judge Edwards has received the Outstanding Service Award from the Fayette Bar Association, the Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service from the State Bar of Georgia, another award from the Fayette County Bar Association “For Tireless Efforts to Improve and Strengthen the Bar Association and Community”, and the “Thomas R. Burnside, Jr. Excellence in Bar Leadership” from the State Bar of Georgia upon nomination by the Fayette County Bar Association. Fulfilling a campaign promise, he spoke in schools to over 58,000 students on the education earnings premium, and encouraging academic excellence.
Personal Life
Outside the legal field, Chris enjoys fishing and is the current state of Georgia record holder for the ultimate saltwater gamefish, tarpon. Chris’s tarpon was 7 feet, 2 inches long and 161 pounds. He caught it between Darien, Georgia and Little St. Simons Island.
Publications
- Author of “Tortious Misconduct”, The Verdict, April, 1989
- Author of “Doubtful Family Violence? TEST!”, The Family Law Review, a publication of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, Summer, 2012.
- Co-Author with law intern Jacob B. Vail, “A Call to End Prospective Waivers of Judicial Disqualification in Accountability Courts”, The Champion, a publication of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, January/February 2014
- Co-Author with law intern Erich Schultheiss, “Virtually Unknown, ‘Tortious Misconduct’Deserves Attention”, Fulton Daily Report, May 22, 2015
- Co-Author with law intern Erich Schultheiss, “Tortious Misconduct”, Calendar Call, a publication of the General Practice and Trial Section, State Bar of Georgia, Fall, 2016
- Co-Author with Staff Attorney Kyle Harris Timmons, “Why Every Superior Court is Night Court on Election Day”, Georgia Courts Journal, a publication of the State of Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts, July, 2019.
Chris Edwards’ Continuing Legal Education Presentations Teaching Georgia Lawyers
May 25-29, 2011
- Amelia Island, Florida
- State Bar of Georgia – Family Law Section
- 5 minute presentation on “Jury Trial Case Selection”
July 27-30, 2011
- Destin, Florida
- Georgia Trial Lawyers Association – Auto Torts Workshop
- Professional Responsibility of Lawyers in Jury Trials. One hour presentation with paper by Judge Christopher C. Edwards on best practices.
November 17, 2011
- Atlanta Bar Association Meeting
- Panel Speaker – Family Violence, with paper by Judge Christopher C. Edwards. “Objective Psychological Testing to Assess Doubtful Domestic Violence cases.”
January 4, 2012
- Atlanta Bar Association
- Criminal Law Division – 20 minute lunch talk on Effective Assistance of Counsel.
February 24, 2012
- Atlanta Bar Association – Family Law Section
- Panel Discussion with other Superior Court Judges – Divorce Jury Trials – trial tactics.
February 29, 2012
- State Bar of Georgia – Eminent Domain Section
- Ethics in Condemnation Cases. One hour with written materials on two topics: client solicitation and witness preparation rules.
May 24, 2012
- Amelia Island, Florida
- State Bar of Georgia – Family Law Section
- Judicial Panel
August 17, 2012
- State Bar of Georgia – Family Law Section
- Nuts and Bolts of Family Law
- Judicial Panel – Ethics and Professionalism
October 19, 2012
- Fayette Bar Association Annual Meeting
- Amicalola Falls, Dawsonville, Georgia
- Speaker: Georgia’s New Evidence Code: An Overview
November 9-19, 2012
- Urgent Legal Matters at Sea
- ICLE – Georgia
- Presentation – New Rules of Evidence
December 7, 2012
- Georgia Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Financial Impact of Adultery
January 10, 2013
- State Bar of Georgia – Mid Year Meeting
- Family Law Section
- Judicial Panel
August 1, 2013
- Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
- Auto Torts Seminar
- Presentation: Current Events in Ethics and Summary Jury Trials
September 9, 2013
- Georgia Council of Court Administrators
- Fall Conference – Calloway Gardens, Pine Mountain, GA
- ADR Updates: Summary Jury Trial pilot project
October 10, 2013
- Atlanta Bar Association, Family Law Division
- Breakfast Meeting
- Presentation: Summary Jury Trials
October 17, 2013
- Fayette Bar Association Annual Meeting
- Amicalola Falls, Dawsonville, Georgia
- Speaker: Ethics: How to Avoid the 10 Most Common
- Grievances Which Clients File Against Lawyers
November 16, 2013
- Urgent Legal Matters at Sea
- ICLE – Georgia
- Presentation: Ethics: How to Avoid the 10 Most Common
- Grievances Which Clients File Against Lawyers
February 4, 2014
- Equitable Division
- Georgia Bar Association
- Judicial Panel
September 17, 2014
- A View From the Bench
- Atlanta Bar Association
- The Mental Health Issues and Their Impact on Divorce and Child Custody
- Judicial Panel
October 3, 2014
- Nuts and Bolts of Family Law
- State Bar of Georgia
- Judicial Panel
October 16, 2014
- Fayette Bar Association Annual Meeting
- Lake Lanier Resort, Buford, Georgia
- Judicial Panel – Professionalism and Ethics
January 21, 2015
- Council of Superior Court Judges
- Winter Conference, Athens, Georgia
- Death Penalty Course – Appellate Review
March 14, 2015
- State Bar of Georgia, General Practice & Trial Section
- St. Simons, Georgia
- Judicial Panel
May 21, 2016
- State Bar of Georgia – Family Law Section
- St. Simons, Georgia
- Judicial Panel – Judicial tips for Family Law Attorneys
January 13, 2017
- State Bar of Georgia, General Practice & Trial Section
- Televised presentation – Encouraging Jury Trials
- Georgia Public Broadcasting, Atlanta, Georgia
March 18, 2017
- State Bar of Georgia, General Practice & Trial Institute
- St. Simons, Georgia
- Judicial Panel – Trying Cases the Ethical Way
May 20, 2017
- State Bar of Georgia, Family Law Section
- Amelia Island, Florida
- Judicial Panel – Closing Arguments
August 24, 2017
- State Bar of Georgia CLE, State Bar Office, Atlanta, GA
- Presentation: What Lawyers Don’t Know About Jury Trials
- Co-presented with Judge Stephen Schuster, Superior Court of Cobb County
August 24, 2018
- State Bar of Georgia, CLE, State Bar Office, Atlanta, GA
- Presentation: Divorce Jury Trials
- Co-presented with Randy Kessler
October 20, 2018
- Fayette Bar Association Annual Meeting.
- Amicalola Falls, Dawsonville, Georgia
- Speaker: Tortious Misconduct
June 7, 2019
- Georgia EMC Counsel Association Meeting
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
- Speaker: Professionalism in Expecting Professionalism for : The Judiciary
July 25, 2019
- National Association of Court Managers, plenary session, Las Vegas, Nevada, introductory comments on President William Simmons