Judge Rowland W. Barnes

Rowland Wayne Barnes was an esteemed American Superior Court Judge in Fulton County, Georgia. He gained national attention for presiding over the high-profile 2003 trial of professional ice hockey player Dany Heatley, who was charged with vehicular homicide following the tragic death of his teammate, Dan Snyder, in a car accident.

Barnes’ educational journey began at Frankfurt High School in Germany, followed by Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1962. He pursued studies in business and law at George Washington University before obtaining his law degree from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1972. Remarkably, at the time of his death, he held the esteemed position of adjunct professor at Emory University, further highlighting his dedication to legal education.

Before his appointment to the Fulton Superior Court by Governor Zell Miller in 1998, Judge Barnes served as a city judge and a magistrate. Throughout his career, he presided over various courts in Georgia, including the Superior Court, State Court, Magistrate Court, Municipal Court, and Juvenile Court, serving in multiple counties such as Fulton, Clayton, Hall, Fannin, Gilmer, White, and Pickins. He held significant judicial roles in the City of Hapeville Municipal Court and Fairburn, where he served as Chief Judge. Additionally, he contributed his expertise as a part-time Magistrate in Fulton County Magistrate Court.

Appointed to the Superior Court Bench by Governor Zell Miller on August 5, 1998, Judge Barnes was elected to his first four-year term in November 2000, and subsequently re-elected for another four-year term in 2004. Some of his favorite accomplishments included being listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities(61-62), quarterbacking the Lebanon Valley College football team that won the first league championship since the institution’s founding in 1866, and successfully completing U.S. Air Force basic training. He also served in the National Guard and later on active duty with the U.S. Air Force in 1968-1969 following the Pueblo Crisis.

Tragically, Judge Rowland Wayne Barnes met his unfortunate demise on March 11, 2005, when he was fatally shot in his courtroom. His legacy as a respected and dedicated jurist continues to be remembered and honored in the legal community.