Indian Claims Dispute in the State of Maine Designation of William B. Gunter as the President's Special Representative To Coordinate Negotiations.

The President today designated Georgia Supreme Court Justice William B. Gunter as his special representative on the Indian claims matter in the State of Maine.

Gunter, 57, will be retiring from the Georgia Supreme Court at the end of March.

All parties in the dispute requested that a special representative be appointed.

Justice Gunter will assist all parties by coordinating negotiations among them. He will not serve as a mediator or arbitrator.

Justice Gunter, a longtime personal friend of the President, was born in Commerce, Ga., on April 20, 1919. He received his B.A. from the University of Georgia in 1940 and his law degree in 1942. He served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Robert L. Russell of the Northern District of Georgia before entering the U.S. Army during World War II.

As a lieutenant in the Third Infantry Division, European Theatre, Gunter was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.

In 1946 he returned to Georgia to practice law with the Gainesville firm of Kenyon, Kenyon and Gunter. During his 25 years of practice, he served one term as a judge for the Gainesville Police Court, three terms as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives (1952-58), and 11 years as Gainesville City Attorney (1959-1970).

He was a member of the Georgia State Board of Bar Examiners from 1965 to 1971 and served as a Georgia Democratic national committeeman in 1971. He was appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court in January 1972.

Justice Gunter resigned from the Georgia Supreme Court effective April 1, 1977, to join the firm of Kilpatrick, Cody, Rogers, McClatchey and Regenstein. He is married and the father of three children.