Judge Derek J. White

Please refer to the standing order in all civil cases assigned to Judge White.


Clerk's Office Assistance

Criminal Cases
If you require assistance from the State Court Clerk's Office on a criminal case assigned to Judge White, please contact State Court Criminal Division at (912) 652-7224, Option 2.

Civil Cases
If you require assistance from the State Court Clerk's Office on a civil case assigned to Judge White, please contact State Court Civil Division at (912) 652-7224, Option 3.


Honorable Derek Jerome White

Admitted to Bar:     6/96

Education:

  • Ga. Southern Univ. '90;
    Walter F. George Law School, Mercer Univ. ('94 - SBA President., '95 - 5th Cir. Governor of Law Student Division of American Bar Association - Voice to the ABA for the 20 law schools in the Southeast and Puerto Rico)

Previous Employment:

  • Reynolds & McArthur, Macon, Georgia; Martindale-Hubbell - Preeminent Law Firm (AV rating); Employed 1991-1999; Specialized in medical malpractice, tractor-trailer collisions, wrongful death, products liability, and workers= compensation.

  • Middleton, Mathis, Adams & Tate, Savannah, Georgia; Martindale-Hubbell - (AV rating); Employed 1999-2000; Specialized in medical malpractice, wrongful death, products liability.

  • Suggs, Kelly & Middleton, Savannah, Georgia; Martindale-Hubbell - (AV rating); Employed 2000-2001; Specialized in medical malpractice, wrongful death, products liability, and nursing home litigation.

  • The White Law Group, Pooler, Georgia; Sole Proprietor; November 2001 - 2020. Concentration in Nursing Home Litigation, Wrongful Death, Medical Malpractice, Tractor-Trailer Collisions, Contracts, Trial Practice, Wills, and Mediation Services.

Current Employment:

  • Judge, State Court of Chatham County, Georgia.

Current Civic Positions:

  • Board of Trustees/President - Georgia Bar Foundation; Committee Member, Constitution and Rules Committee - United States Tennis Association(USTA); Board of Trustee - Southern Tennis Foundation; Advisor - First Calvary Baptist Church, Hinesville, Georgia; Chairman, Administration Team - The Church of Godley Station, Pooler, Georgia; Advisory Board - Queensboro Bank, City of Pooler Branch; and Board Member - United Way, Savannah, Georgia.

Past Civic Positions Held:

  • Chairman - Southern Tennis Foundation; Board of Trustees/Vice President - Georgia Bar Foundation; Chairman, Nomination Committee - United States Tennis Association(USTA), Southern Section; USTA Section Delegate; Chairman, City of Pooler Development Authority; Counsel - First Calvary Baptist Church, Hinesville, Georgia; Counsel - The Church of Godley Station, Pooler, Georgia; and Advisory Board - Queensboro Bank, City of Pooler Branch.

  • Board of Director - King-Tisdell Cottage Foundation/Beach Institute, Savannah, Georgia; Board of Director - Savannah Historical Review Board, Savannah, Georgia; Board of Director - Coastal Georgia Land Trust, Savannah, Georgia; Board of Director - Boys and Girls Club, Savannah, GA and Macon, Georgia.; Board of Director - First Tee of Savannah; Board of Director - American Red Cross, Savannah Chapter; Board of Director - Girls Scout, Savannah Chapter; Board of Directors - Southern Baptist Center, Savannah, Georgia.

  • Grievance Committee Member - USTA Georgia; Chairperson, Grievance Committee - USTA, Southern Section; Secretary - USTA, Southern Section; Vice President - USTA, Southern Section; Past President & CEO - USTA, Southern Section; Committee Member, Constitution and Rules Committee and Tennis Rules Committee - USTA; Vice Chair, Grievance Committee, USTA; Chair, Grievance Committee, USTA; Chair, USTA Presidents' Committee and Chair, USTA Section Delegates' Committee; Committee Member, Nomination Committee, USTA.

Past Legal Positions:

  • Chief Judge, City of Port Wentworth

  • Judge, City of Pooler, Georgia

  • Judge Pro Tem, Recorder's Court, City of Savannah, Georgia

  • Special Master for the Supreme Court of Georgia

  • Past President - State Bar of Georgia Younger Lawyers Division (YLD); Past Executive Committee Member (3 years) - State Bar of Georgia; Past Board of Governors, State Bar of Georgia; Past Committee Member - Disciplinary Board Investigative Panel (Supreme Court of Georgia); Past Committee Member - Review Panel (Supreme Court of Georgia); Past YLD Litigation Committee Chairperson; Past YLD Director; Past YLD Secretary; past YLD Treasurer; Past Board Member and Governor - New Lawyers Section of Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA); Past Committee Member - State Bar of Georgia Diversity Program; Past Student Trial Advocacy Committee Member - Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA); Past Minority Committee Member - ATLA; Past Parliamentarian - Port City Bar Association; Past Student Coach for High School Mock Trial - Savannah High School

Trial Practice Designation:

  • Trial Advocate - National College of Advocacy.

Memberships:

  • American Bar Assoc.; Savannah Bar Assoc.; State Bar of Georgia; Georgia Trial Lawyers Assoc.; Assoc. of Trial Lawyers of America; Savannah Trial Lawyers Assoc.; United States Tennis Association; and United States Professional Teaching Registry (PTR) (1985-)

Publications/Lecturer:

  • Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Depositions; Before, During, and After (1998); Assoc. of Trial Lawyers of America, Gathering News (Is it a tort or is it protected?) (2000); National College of Advocacy, Handling the Small Auto Case Efficiently and Effectively. (2000); National College of Advocacy, The Jackknife Collision: a Products Liability Case in the Making. (2001); State Bar of Georgia, Small and Solo Firm Seminar, Nursing Home Litigation (2003); Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, Nursing Home Litigation (2005); and, Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, Using Pathology to Date Surgical Misadventure (2005).

  • Have spoken throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada on civil trial matters and have earned the distinguished honor of being deemed a "Trial Advocate" for the National College of Advocacy as well as being a member of the 40 Business Leaders under 40 by The Savannah Business Report and Journal.

Panelist:

  • American National Lawyers Insurance Reciprocal: 2000 Update; Preventing Legal Malpractice Claims and Ethics Complaints in General Practice and Personal Injury

  • State Bar of Georgia Annual Meeting (2006): Bench and Bar War Stories

  • State Bar of Georgia Annual Meeting (2009): Going Solo