Article 6 Probate Courts


In counties with a population of 90,000 or greater, the judge of the probate court must, with one exception, be an attorney with the same qualifications as a superior court judge. The one exception is that a non-attorney judge of the probate court already serving when the county population reaches or exceeds 90,000 may continue to serve and may run for re-election; any other candidate must be an attorney and meet the requirements of Article 6. In Article 6 probate courts, all matters are tried before a licensed attorney judge, with the right to trial by jury, whenever applicable. Appeals from Article 6 probate courts are taken directly to the Court of Appeals of Georgia or the Supreme Court of Georgia in the same manner as are appeals from the superior courts. Below is the current listing of counties with Article 6 probate courts and the respective judges:

County Judge
Athens-Clarke Judge Susan Schaffer
Bartow Judge Barry Greene
Carroll Judge Edie Haney
Chatham Judge Tom Bordeaux, Jr.
Cherokee Judge Keith Wood
Clayton Judge Pam Ferguson
Cobb Judge Kelli Wolk
Columbia Judge Alice Padgett
Coweta Judge Carrie Markham
DeKalb Judge Bedelia Hargrove
Dougherty Judge Leisa Blount
Douglas Judge Christina Peterson
Fayette Judge Ann Jackson
Floyd Judge Steven Burkhalter
Forsyth Judge Daisy Weeks-Marisko
Fulton Judge Kenya Johnson
Gwinnett Judge Christopher Ballar
Hall Judge Patty Walters Laine
Henry Judge Kelley Powell
Houston Judge Kristen Harris
Lowndes Judge Detria Carter Powell
Macon-Bibb Judge Sarah Harris
Muscogee Judge Marc D’Antonio
Newton Judge Melanie Bell
Paulding Judge Angela Woodall
Richmond Judge Harry James, III
Rockdale Judge Gary Washington, Jr.
Whitfield Judge Sheri Blevins