Posted by In our local federal courthouse, three familiar faces have been elevated to new, high-profile jobs. Here is a quick scorecard:
On March 31, 2022, the Senate confirmed Sarah E. Geraghty to fill the seat on the Northern District of Georgia bench once occupied by Judge Amy Totenberg, who took senior status one year ago. The AJC described Judge Geraghty’s legal career this way: “Geraghty has been a lawyer with the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta since 2003. She litigated cases challenging unfair bail policies, private probation practices, open records law violations and inhumane prison and jail conditions.” Judge Geraghty litigated many of those cases right here in the Russell Building. Fun fact: Judge Geraghty may well be the first jurist in our district’s history to hold a Master of Social Work degree.
The district’s lineup of magistrate judges has changed, too. On April 4, 2022, J. Elizabeth McBath replaced the now-retired Chief Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman. (Judge Russell G. Vineyard is the new Chief Magistrate.) Judge McBath was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in our courthouse for more than a decade, and spent three of those years as the Appellate Chief.
Finally, Ryan K. Buchanan is the new United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Before his confirmation on April 27, 2022, Mr. Buchanan was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the same office. During much of that time, he served as the National Security and Anti-Terrorism Council Coordinator and as Deputy Chief of the Violent Crime and National Security Section. From the corner suite on the fourth floor of the Russell Building, Mr. Buchanan will now run an office that includes about 110 lawyers and 135 additional staff members.
The Blue Notes 