Judge John B. Gatto Joins the Review Commission

Judge John B. Gatto joined the United States Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission as an Administrative Law Judge in the Atlanta Regional Office on August 26, 2013. Immediately before his judicial appointment with the Commission, he served as an Administrative Law Judge, beginning in January 2012, with the Social Security Administration in Tampa, Florida. Prior to his federal appointment, Judge Gatto served as an Administrative Law Judge, beginning in April 1995, with the Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearing in Atlanta, Georgia. Judge Gatto was the first Administrative Law Judge appointed by the Chief State Administrative Law Judge upon the creation of the Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSAH). During his tenure, he presided over 300 different types of contested cases involving most of Georgia's state agencies, departments, commissions, and regulatory boards. In that capacity, he presided over sanction and licensing cases, candidate qualification challenges, election law and ethics law violations, as well as complex litigation involving environmental permit issuance and enforcement actions, banking and finance and securities violations, and special education litigation under the federal Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act.

In addition to his judicial duties, Judge Gatto proposed and assisted in the creation of OSAH's Office of the Clerk as well as the rules of practice and procedure and forms. He also served as the internet liaison where he assisted in the creation of OSAH's website.

Judge Gatto has been a frequent speaker and panelist at continuing legal and judicial education seminars in Georgia and nationally. He is a current member of the Judicial Section of State Bar of Georgia, and has been a past chair of the Administrative Law Section of State Bar of Georgia and past vice president of the Georgia Association of Administrative Judiciary.

Judge Gatto graduated from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Augusta College.