ATLANTA — A former judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals, who faced removal from his position in 2023 due to ethical violations, has been officially suspended from practicing law until August 2025.

The decision came from the Georgia Supreme Court, which concluded that Christian Coomer’s law license should face a two-year suspension. This action stems from allegations that he took advantage of a vulnerable client while serving as a private attorney. The court permitted the suspension to retroactively start from August 16, 2023, the date Coomer was removed from his judicial role. Coomer stated that he chose to halt his legal practice from this date.

Initially, Coomer sought a one-year suspension; however, he agreed to a two-year term after the State Bar of Georgia deemed a year to be insufficient as a penalty. A special master overseeing the proceedings indicated that a two-year suspension aligned with penalties imposed on other attorneys who had faced similar ethical charges. The court noted that while this might seem like preferential treatment, Coomer should not face a more severe punishment than others who have committed the same violations.

Coomer’s troubles began when he borrowed $369,000 from a client, Jim Filhart, on advantageous terms, and drafted a will and trust that would potentially transfer some or all of the client’s assets to himself and his family upon Filhart’s passing. Although Coomer eventually repaid the loan, this occurred only after Filhart initiated legal action against him.

Justice’s commentary revealed that while Coomer’s behavior had warranted his removal from the bench, the two-year suspension was justified. The charge of ethical misconduct from the Judicial Qualifications Commission included issues such as misusing funds from his campaign account for personal expenses, like a family vacation to Hawaii, as well as financial assistance to stabilize his struggling law practice. These aspects were not considered in the recent ruling, with the court articulating that the State Bar should not be compelled to seek penalties exceeding what they supported. It was also emphasized that judges are held to stricter standards than regular attorneys.

“While maintaining public confidence in the legal system is critical, it is less acute for regulating attorneys compared to judges,” stated the court in their unanimous 7-0 verdict.

Coomer, who once served as a state lawmaker, had been appointed to the appeals court by former Governor Nathan Deal in 2018. Prior to these events, he had no history of disciplinary actions and claimed to have engaged in increased charitable efforts to atone for his actions.

“I have made mistakes, but I am endeavoring to improve and do better,” Coomer expressed in a statement following the ruling. “I am grateful to the Supreme Court for affording me the chance to continue my legal career and to all the individuals who have offered their support, prayers, and encouragement. I aim to contribute positively to my community through volunteer work and dedicate myself to service when I am reinstated in my legal practice.”