As a Georgia Court of Appeals judge, Gerald Alan Blackburn always wanted the court to be accessible to anyone – whether a lawyer aspiring to the bench or a middle school student studying civics.
He conducted court tours and would chat with children about law careers as well as the court’s role in government.
“It was very important to him to have the court more open to people,” said his daughter Jennifer Blackburn Alewine of Atlanta. “He didn’t come from much and worked hard to get where he was. He wanted others to know they had the same opportunities.”
Blackburn of Marietta died May 9 at Northside Hospital, a few hours after Alewine’s wedding. He was 76 and had been suffering from diabetes and congestive heart failure. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. May 13 at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta.
Blackburn won election to the appeals court in 1992, defeating incumbent Judge John W. Sognier. He served until 2010, including a stint as chief judge from 2001 to 2002.
During his 18-year tenure, he authored more than 2,800 opinions, said Atlanta attorney W. Scott Henwood, former Reporter of Decisions of the Georgia Supreme Court and state Court of Appeals.
As chief judge, Blackburn was keen on handling cases in a timely fashion, said Henwood, one of two lawyers giving the eulogy at Blackburn’s funeral.
“He was an absolute student of the rule of law,” Henwood said. “He was very engaging and when litigants would argue before the court, he was prepared to ask questions.”
The judge also loved a good story and a good steak and had a great sense of humor. “He was warm and gracious and loved to talk about politics, religion and the law. He enjoyed people,” Henwood said.
A doting father and hard worker, Blackburn cherished his family and was always willing to mentor new judges, said state Court of Appeals Presiding Judge Anne Elizabeth Barnes.
“His family meant the world to him. He would do anything to help his daughters and son reach their goals,” Barnes said. “He also was generous with his time and advice. He took his role as mentor to new judges very seriously.”
Born May 6, 1939, in East Bend, N.C., Blackburn was raised by his grandparents and attended public schools in North Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.
After four years in the Air Force, he returned to Atlanta and earned a law degree from John Marshall Law School in 1968. He received a master of law degree from the University of Virginia Law School in 2001.
Before joining the bench, Blackburn practiced civil and criminal law in metro Atlanta for 20 years. He also served as an administrative law judge for the Georgia Department of Medical Assistance.
He was a charter member of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. He was also a member of the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism.
Blackburn also was active in the community. He was a former chairman of the boards for the Cobb County Salvation Army and New Horizons Ministries (Mountain Top Boys Home) in Walker County and a board member of the Georgia chapter of National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse.
“Judge Blackburn was a great man who served our nation, our state, and his community with distinction,” Chief Judge Herbert E. Phipps of the state Court of Appeals said in a statement. “He had tremendous respect for the law, the legal profession, his fellow judges, and the lawyers who practiced in our court. He will be missed by the whole court.”
In addition to Alewine, Blackburn is survived by his wife Linda Blackburn of Marietta; daughters Merideth Manning and Elizabeth Watkins of Atlanta; son Christopher Blackburn of Atlanta; daughters from a previous marriage, Susan Winger, Jackie Carver and Sandra Blackburn and one grandchild.
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