May 8, 2017
By Patrick T. O'Connor
Daily Report
The Cordele Dispatch
The Citizen Times, Cuthbert
The Southern Tribune, Cuthbert
To the Editor:
On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I wish to extend condolences to the family, colleagues and many friends of former Georgia Court of Appeals Judge William LeRoy "Roy" McMurray Jr. on his recent passing.
During his distinguished six-decade career in the legal profession and the justice system, Judge McMurray served nearly 24 years on the Court of Appeals, including a term as chief judge and 20 years as presiding judge. Following his retirement from active service on the Court of Appeals in 2000, he entered senior appellate judge status and served for 10 more years.
A native of Randolph County, Judge McMurray served his country as an Army veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict and served six years as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation before entering the practice of law. He was city attorney for Cordele prior to his election as Superior Court judge in the Cordele Judicial Circuit, where he served until his appointment in 1976 to the Court of Appeals.
Judge McMurray earned numerous honors for his service, including the 2006 Guardian of Justice Award from the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and the 2013 Tradition of Excellence Award from the General Practice & Trial Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia.
All of our state's lawyers and judges can be inspired by the lifetime of service of Judge McMurray. We appreciate his many contributions toward strengthening the foundations of our justice system, which protects the rights and liberties of all Americans.
Sincerely,
Patrick T. O'Connor
President, State Bar of Georgia