Ellington began his career as a general trial lawyer and a partner with the law firm of Andrew, Threlkeld, & Ellington.[1]
State court service
In 1991, he was appointed to serve as judge of the Treutlen County State Court. He also served as a municipal court judge and later as a superior court judge. He was sworn in as the 66th Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals by Georgia GovernorRoy Barnes on July 12, 1999. He was elected statewide to a full six-year term in 2000 and re-elected in 2006 and 2012.[1]
Georgia Supreme Court
Ellington was considered in 2016 for one of three seats on the court.[2] In early 2018 Ellington announced his intention to run for the state Supreme Court seat being vacated by retiring Justice Carol W. Hunstein.[3] He was elected, unopposed, on November 6, 2018. He was sworn into office on December 19, 2018.[4]