McDonough attorney and Henry County magistrate judge Holly Veal was sworn in Nov. 7 as a Superior Court judge for the Flint Judicial Circuit by Gov. Nathan Deal.

She was appointed Oct. 18 by Deal to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Arch McGarity. Veal has been licensed to practice law in Georgia since 2004 and served as a public defender in Albany before working as a prosecutor in Houston, Clayton and Henry counties.

She has been in private practice in McDonough and since January served as an associate judge for the Henry County Magistrate Court.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez