ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the following judicial appointments: the Honorable Debbie-Ann R. Rickman to the Superior Court of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Shermela Williams; David H. Emadi to the Superior Court of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Jane C. Barwick; and, recognizing her recent election to the Atlanta Judicial Circuit, Nikia Smith Sellers to the Superior Court of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit to fill a vacancy that will arise upon the appointment of the Honorable Paige Reese Whitaker to the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Judge Debbie-Ann R. Rickman currently serves as a Magistrate Judge in Fulton County, where she presides over both criminal and civil cases. Following her graduation from law school, Judge Rickman began her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit. She later joined the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office as an Assistant Solicitor-General where she was recognized as the 2017 prosecuting attorney of the year.

Judge Rickman is actively involved in the legal community. She is a member of the Benchbook Committee for the Council of Magistrate Court Judges and previously served as co-chair of the Public Affairs Committee for the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, of which she remains a member. She is a Master of the Logan E. Bleckley Inn of Court and a member of the Lawyers Club of Atlanta.

Judge Rickman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with honors, from Florida International University and a Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Florida. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their eleven-year-old son.

David H. Emadi has served since 2019 as the Director of the State Ethics Commission of Georgia, which is charged with investigating, regulating, and prosecuting violations of campaign finance laws by elected officials, candidates for public office, lobbyists, and special interest groups. Before serving in his current role, David spent 7 years in the District Attorney's Office of Douglas County where he prosecuted all types of major crimes and violent felonies. David also served as the Chief Assistant District Attorney for the judicial circuit.

Previously, David spent time as a Major League Baseball scout with the Cincinnati Reds organization. In 2017, David was named a Rising Star by the Daily Report as one of the top 30 lawyers in Georgia under the age of 40 at the age of 29.

David earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and his Juris Doctor from Georgia State College of Law where he currently serves on the Board of Alumni.

Nikia Smith Sellers is a veteran prosecutor with more than a decade of service in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. As Deputy District Attorney, Nikia has supervised prosecutions in Drug Court, Behavioral Health Treatment Court, and Veterans Court and has lead prosecutions on a specialized Competency Docket addressing criminal law and mental health.

Raised by educators and the granddaughter of sharecroppers from Southwest Georgia, Nikia comes from a family deeply rooted in public service. She is the niece of civil rights leader Ruby Doris Smith Robinson, as well as other relatives recognized with Presidential awards for contributions to education, public health, and social justice.

A product of Atlanta Public Schools, she attended Shaw University on an athletic and academic scholarship.  She earned her Juris Doctor from The Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law, receiving a merit scholarship and Public Interest Advocate Certification. She is a member of the Atlanta Bar Association and the Georgia Association for Black Women Attorneys.

Nikia is a devoted wife and mother of four, married to an educator and ordained Presbyterian elder, and remains active in mentoring youth through her church, the arts, and community service. Additionally, she serves in leadership roles in multiple organizations that empower people through dance, cultural arts education, mentorship, and community service.