Atlanta, Georgia – Governor Brian Kemp has announced his nomination of Frank O’Connell as the first Chief Judge of Georgia’s new Tax Court. This is a big step forward in the state’s efforts to modernize and streamline tax dispute resolution. Voters adopted the Georgia Tax Court through a constitutional amendment last November. The court is anticipated to resolve tax-related cases more quickly and fairly, giving Georgia taxpayers a place to settle their differences.
The Georgia House and Senate Judiciary committees still need to confirm O’Connell’s four-year tenure as Chief Judge, which will start on April 1, 2026. Governor Kemp highlighted O’Connell’s long history of working for Georgia’s taxpayers and his dedication to the job when he made the announcement.
“Georgia taxpayers deserve leadership at the Department of Revenue that recognizes who they are most accountable to and as commissioner, Frank O’Connell has never forgotten that – serving the people of our state with honor and great work ethic,” said Governor Brian Kemp.
Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones also praised the nomination, highlighting O’Connell’s leadership during his tenure at the Georgia Department of Revenue.
“Georgia’s fiscal stability and success is a testament of the great leadership from public servants like Frank O’Connell,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones, adding that he looks forward to seeing O’Connell’s positive impact on the court.
O’Connell has a lot of experience, including his current position as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Revenue, which he has held since February 2023. Before that, he was the department’s Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel. His job has included almost every part of Georgia’s tax system, from overseeing audits and helping taxpayers to writing laws and rules.
O’Connell worked for ten years at two of the world’s leading accounting companies, helping customers with state and municipal tax concerns. He has a law degree from the University of Notre Dame and an advanced legal degree in taxation from New York University. He has lived in East Cobb for a long time with his wife, Shelia.
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The Georgia Tax Court was set up to make things easier for ordinary courts and to help taxpayers who disagree with state tax assessments get better results. If confirmed, O’Connell’s appointment will bring a lot of experience to the job of creating the court’s operations from the ground up, making sure it works well for the state and its people from the start.
