Politics & Government
Courthouse Needs Quick Fix, Judge Tells Oconee County Commissioners In Work Session On Space Needs
Chief Superior Court David Sweat told the commissioners that a bill introduced in the General Assembly could result in a judgeship in 2016.
Oconee County may have only a little more than a year before it needs to find space in the Courthouse for a Superior Court judge, the judge’s secretary and a law clerk.
That was the message Chief Superior Court Judge David Sweat delivered to the Oconee County Board of Commissioners last night in the second of four scheduled work sessions the Board is holding to deal with pressing issues before the county.
Judge Sweat said the county could have even less time to fix the Courthouse
He would like a new fourth judge for the Western Circuit of the 10th District Circuits to be in place by Jan. 1 of 2016.
House Bill 367, introduced in the Georgia House of Representatives on Tuesday, calls for the governor to appoint a judge for the Western Circuit for a term beginning on July 1 of next year, but Judge Sweat said the bill could be changed before it is passed to move the appointment date forward six months.
For more on the story, go to Oconee County Observations.
Pictured: Judge Sweat, center, with Tracey J. BeMent, district court administrator, on the left and County Administrative Officer Jeff Benko on the right.