Qualifying for Twiggs probate judgeship opens

Qualifying for the judgeship of Twiggs County Probate Court opens Wednesday and continues through Friday.

The court needs a new judge after the Georgia Supreme Court removed Kenneth Fowler, the court’s former judge, from the bench and barred him from seeking or holding judicial office in Georgia.

Twiggs election official Marette Fair said no experience is necessary to run for the judgeship. It will cost $1,414.35 to qualify.

“That’s 3 percent of the probate judge’s salary, which is the standard cost,” Fair said.

Fair said Tuesday that she had already received calls from five or six interested candidates.

Once elected, the new judge will serve until 2012, which would have been the remainder of Fowler’s term.

Fowler’s chief clerk, Brenda Little, has been running court operations recently.

The Georgia Supreme Court permanently removed Fowler from the bench in a June ruling. Evidence was presented during hearings earlier this year that Fowler ran a slush fund, improperly told criminal defendants that it was their burden to prove their innocence and disposed of criminal matters outside his authority, among other findings. Fowler’s case was the first one in five years to reach the stage of a formal hearing.

Twiggs County voters will decide who will be the next probate judge in November’s general election.

To contact writer Carl Lewis, call 744-4347.