Beginning in July 1942, Davis served in the United States War Department Headquarters until December 1945.

Two years later, he was elected judge of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, serving from January 1, 1955, until his resignation on December 31, 1960.

Davis, who resided in the more rural part of his district, did not take into account the increasing political force of the northwest suburbs of Atlanta.

The fast-growing bedroom communities of Cobb County were filling up with residents who were fleeing mandatory desegregation in urban Atlanta; it was mainly these constituents who supported McDonald and his platform opposing interdistrict school busing.

Davis returned to practicing law and lived in St. Simons Island, Georgia, at the time of his death on October 3, 1992.