Carol W. Hunstein
Encyclopedia
Carol W. Hunstein is the Chief Justice
of the U.S. State
Supreme Court of Georgia. She took office as chief justice on July 1, 2009 and has served on the court since 1992.
on August 16, 1944. By age 23, she was a divorced, single mother who had lost her left leg to cancer. However, she overcame this adversity receiving an Associate's degree from Miami-Dade Community College in 1970, and shortly thereafter a Bachelor of Science
degree from Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
in 1972. Upon graduation from FAU, Hunstein enrolled in the Stetson University College of Law. In 1976, she received her Juris Doctor
, was admitted to the Georgia Bar Association
, and subsequently went into private practice.
to Atlanta
, Georgia
in 1976. Having established herself in the legal community by 1984, she ran against four men for election to the Superior Court
in DeKalb County
and made it into the runoff. During the three-week runoff, for the first time Hunstein began using the slogan
“This time, this woman,’’ and upon election became the first female superior court judge in the county.
In November 1992, Hunstein was nominated to the Supreme Court of Georgia by Governor
Zell Miller
. She is the second woman in Georgia history to serve in this position. Since her nomination to the court in 1992, Hunstein has been re-elected by voters three times, most recently in November 2006.
Hunstein also serves as an adjunct professor at the Emory University School of Law
.
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the U.S. State
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
Supreme Court of Georgia. She took office as chief justice on July 1, 2009 and has served on the court since 1992.
Education
Hunstein was born in Miami, FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
on August 16, 1944. By age 23, she was a divorced, single mother who had lost her left leg to cancer. However, she overcame this adversity receiving an Associate's degree from Miami-Dade Community College in 1970, and shortly thereafter a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
in 1972. Upon graduation from FAU, Hunstein enrolled in the Stetson University College of Law. In 1976, she received her Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
, was admitted to the Georgia Bar Association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
, and subsequently went into private practice.
Career
Carol Hunstein moved from FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in 1976. Having established herself in the legal community by 1984, she ran against four men for election to the Superior Court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
in DeKalb County
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
and made it into the runoff. During the three-week runoff, for the first time Hunstein began using the slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
“This time, this woman,’’ and upon election became the first female superior court judge in the county.
In November 1992, Hunstein was nominated to the Supreme Court of Georgia by Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Zell Miller
Zell Miller
Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the US state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005....
. She is the second woman in Georgia history to serve in this position. Since her nomination to the court in 1992, Hunstein has been re-elected by voters three times, most recently in November 2006.
Hunstein also serves as an adjunct professor at the Emory University School of Law
Emory University School of Law
Emory University School of Law is a first-tier US law school that is part of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. It is ranked #30 among ABA-approved law schools by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report...
.