Georgia's newest Supreme Court Justice was a Harvard Law School classmate of future President Barrack Obama. But not to worry: New Georgia Justice David Nahmias is solid conservative who will shift the makeup of Georgia's highest court to the right.

Nahmias will fill an open seat on the court formerly held by Justice Leah Ward Sears, one of the most liberal members ever to serve on that court. Just 44, Nahmias clerked for conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and later was an attorney for the firm of future Supreme Court Justice John Roberts.

Nahmias's parents immigrated from Germany and Egypt to this country after World War II, and he briefly became emotional during last week's press conference when talking about them.

"The fact that I will be able to serve as a justice on the highest court of the state is proof once again of the remarkable opportunities that this state and this country provide," he said.

The new justice served as a federal prosecutor in Atlanta from 1995 until 2001, then moved to Washington after 9/11 to become one of the Justice Department's leading prosecutors of terrorists. He returned to Atlanta in 2004 to become U.S. Attorney for the northern district of Georgia. Among the cases in which he was heavily involved were those of Olympic Park bomber Eric Robert Rudolph, who pleaded guilty to four bombings and in exchange for sentences of life without parole; and Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, who was convicted of tax evasion charges and sent to prison for 30 months.

One possible drawback to the selection of Nahmias is the fact that his experience to date has been at the federal level, rather than state.

"The law is the law," Nahmias counters. "You have constitutions, you have statutes, you have regulations and you have case law. If you know the skills to apply those ... you can serve properly, as long as you have the right judicial philosophy in mind."

Perdue, however, had nothing but praise for his appointee.

"David has the ability to serve this state well and is someone we can trust to guard this country's bedrock principles," Perdue said. "His integrity, commitment to public service and strict adherence to the law as written will make him an excellent justice."

While Nahmias's credentials are beyond dispute, we nonetheless regret that the governor bypassed a pair of very strong candidates from Cobb in order to choose Nahmias: Cobb Superior Court Judge Mary E. Staley and Cobb District Attorney Pat Head. Staley and/or Head would make outstanding Justices - and perhaps one day, they still will.