--- title: SR 20. Peed, Honorable F. Gates; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr20 cite_as: SR 20, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr20 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr20.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr20/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69400 date: 2025-01-17 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr19.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr21.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr20.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 20 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-01-17 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Billy Hickman - John Kennedy - Steve Gooch - Blake Tillery - Jason Anavitarte text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR20/2025 upstream_id: 1926155 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - judicial recognition - Ogeechee Judicial Circuit - Georgia Senate resolution - retirement honors --- # SR 20. Peed, Honorable F. Gates; recognize ## Text Senate Resolution 20 By: Senators Hickman of the 4th, Kennedy of the 18th, Gooch of the 51st, Tillery of the 19th and Anavitarte of the 31st A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending the Honorable F. Gates Peed; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the Honorable F. Gates Peed has been an active and outstanding member of the Georgia State Bar for 42 years; and WHEREAS, the Honorable F. Gates Peed has served as a member of the bench for the municipalities of the Town of Oliver and the Town of Newington, the County of Bulloch, and the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit Superior Court, assuming the position of Chief Judge in 2018; and WHEREAS, the Honorable F. Gates Peed has served the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit in an exemplary manner for 24 years, leading the judicial circuit through the unprecedented disruptions of the courts from COVID-19 and the nonstop challenges and demands caused by the unparallel population growth of the counties within the circuit; and WHEREAS, at the end of 2024, the Honorable F. Gates Peed retired from the bench, leaving with a reputation for integrity and dedication to the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit, members of the bar, and the citizens of the State of Georgia. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and commend the Honorable F. Gates Peed for his efficient, effective, unselfish, and dedicated public service to the State of Georgia; congratulate him upon the grand occasion of his retirement; and extend the most sincere best wishes for continued health and happiness. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the Honorable F. Gates Peed. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Senate resolution honors retired Judge F. Gates Peed for 24 years of service leading the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit Superior Court, marking his retirement at the end of 2024. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It recognizes the Honorable F. Gates Peed, who spent 42 years as a member of the Georgia State Bar and served as a judge in the Town of Oliver, the Town of Newington, Bulloch County, and the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit Superior Court, becoming Chief Judge in 2018. The resolution commends Judge Peed for guiding the circuit through the disruptions of COVID-19 and rapid population growth in the counties he served, and congratulates him on retiring at the end of 2024. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for him as a keepsake. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Judge F. Gates Peed for his career in the Georgia judiciary and legal profession. - States his service record: 42 years in the Georgia State Bar and 24 years serving the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit, including as Chief Judge starting in 2018. - Congratulates him on his retirement from the bench at the end of 2024. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Judge Peed. ### Who it affects The resolution directly honors Judge F. Gates Peed. It also involves the Secretary of the Senate, who must prepare and distribute a copy, and reflects on the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit Superior Court and the local courts he served in Bulloch County. ### Why it matters This resolution has no legal or regulatory effect; it does not change any Georgia law. Its significance is symbolic, formally recording the Senate's appreciation for a long-serving judge's career and marking a transition in leadership for the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe Judge Peed's 42 years in the Georgia State Bar and his judicial roles in Oliver, Newington, Bulloch County, and the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit. - The resolution notes he became Chief Judge of the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit in 2018 and led it through COVID-19 disruptions and population growth. - The resolving clause formally commends his public service and congratulates him on retiring at the end of 2024. - The final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to Judge Peed. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-01-17) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-01-17) - Sponsors: Billy Hickman, John Kennedy, Steve Gooch, Blake Tillery, Jason Anavitarte - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69400 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr20.md?full=1