Kenneth Owen Nix (October 4, 1939 – October 23, 2012) was an American judge and politician. He served as a Republican member of the Georgia House of Representatives for the 20-3 district from 1973 to 1982 and as a judge on the state superior court from 1995 until his retirement in 2010, when he was chief judge.

Kenneth Nix
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 20-3 district
In office
1973–1982
Succeeded byGeorge W. Darden
Personal details
Born
Kenneth Owen Nix

(1939-10-04)October 4, 1939
Atlanta, Georgia, U. S.
DiedOctober 23, 2012(2012-10-23) (aged 73)
Austell, Georgia, U. S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Charlene Scroggs
(m. 1962)
Children5
Alma materPresbyterian College
Emory University
OccupationJudge

Early life and education edit

Nix was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the son of Helen Crawford Brown and Owen Nix.[1] He was raised in grove Park and attended West Fulton High School.[1] After two years at Presbyterian College on a football and baseball scholarship,[2] he transferred to Emory University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1961 and his law degree in 1964.[1][3]

Career edit

After practicing law privately in Cobb County,[2] Nix ran unsuccessfully in 1970 for a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives,[1] then served as a judge in the city court of Smyrna, Georgia from 1971 to 1972, when he was elected to represent the 20-3 district.[3][4] He served until 1982,[1][2][3] being succeeded by George W. Darden.

In 1982, Nix was elected to serve as a judge for the state court's post 3 in Cobb County.[1][3][5] In 1995, he was appointed by Governor Zell Miller to the state superior court, where he served until 2010, becoming chief judge;[1] he retired after admitting to inappropriately touching two female members of his staff.[6][7][8]

Personal life and death edit

Nix married Lillian Scroggs in 1962; they had five children.[1][3] He died in October 2012 of pancreatic cancer at Tranquility Hospice Care in Austell, Georgia, at the age of 73.[1][2][9] Nix coached sports all his life;[1] in 2013, a softball field was named in his memory.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Kenneth Nix Obituary (1939-2012)". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. October 26, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Myra Evans (October 26, 2012). "Judge Kenneth Owen Nix". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (obituary). Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Georgia Official and Statistical Register: 1981–1982" (PDF). Department of Archives & History, Office of the Secretary of State of Georgia. 1981. p. 63. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 12, 2014.
  4. ^ "Cobb Campaigns Racing Along". The Atlanta Constitution. October 31, 1976. p. 17. Retrieved November 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "Cobb's court system sees new faces in 1982". The Atlanta Constitution. January 27, 1983. p. 114. Retrieved November 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ John Gilooly (August 11, 2010). "Longtime judge Nix resigns amid claim of touching co-workers inappropriately". Marietta Daily Journal.
  7. ^ Debra Cassens Weiss (August 12, 2010). "A Chief Judge Resigns After Admitting Inappropriate Touching". ABA Journal. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  8. ^ Bill Torpy; Bill Rankin (August 23, 2010). "Rash of judges stepping down after misconduct". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  9. ^ "Judge Nix remembered for humility". Marietta Daily Journal. October 24, 2012.
  10. ^ Carlton D. White (March 15, 2013). "Field to be named for Nix". Marietta Daily Journal.