Allen Wigington Announces Candidacy For Chief Magistrate Judge

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Allen Wigington announced this week that he will run to keep his position as Chief Magistrate Judge for Pickens County after serving in the Court for the last three years. Wigington was appointed as a Judge in 2008 by the Chief Magistrate Judge Larry Ray. In April 2011, the Superior Court Judges selected Wigington in a unanimous vote to take over as the Magistrate Court’s Chief Judge for the remainder of the term. According to a statement made by Appalachian Judicial Circuit Chief Superior Court Judge Brenda Weaver at Judge Wigington’s swearing-in ceremony, all Superior Court judges in the circuit support Wigington’s appointment. “We were all completely in agreement that there was only one person who would do the job in a manner that we wanted it done,” she said.

The Magistrate Court is the smallest, but busiest, Court in Pickens County. Magistrate Court hears all arrest warrant applications, search warrant applications, holds bond hearings for incarcerated individuals, hears civil claims under $ 15,000 and hears all land-lord tenant cases. Since 2008, the workload in the Magistrate Court has steadily grown and the court now has surpassed the Probate Court in the amount of cases handled in a year. “There is no substitute for front-line experience in running a court, not to mention the invaluable judicial experience on the bench” said Wigington. “The Magistrate Court is the people’s court and as the gateway to the justice system for most people, it demands a fair, impartial and competent Chief Judge” says Wigington.

The Chief Magistrate of Pickens County is elected every four years and serves as the administrative head of the Magistrate Court. As Chief Magistrate Judge, Wigington has been able to increase productivity in the court and reduce backlogs to virtually non-existent. As Chief Judge, Wigington has expanded the role of technology to improve efficiency of the Court. Currently, plaintiffs can file claims electronically and defendants can answer electronically. This eliminates the need for coming to the Courthouse to complete this administrative task. Judge Wigington has worked with the current case management vendor and established an online warrant system that is set to roll out in early 2012. This will allow law enforcement to apply for and receive arrest warrants from remote locations without having to leave their duties and come in to the courthouse.

Judge Wigington serves as an elected representative on the Executive Committee for the Council of Magistrate Court Judges representing and is the chair of the Council’s Legislative Sub-Committee on Qualifications of Magistrates. Judge Wigington serves as a member of the faculty for the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education of Georgia, which is responsible for the continuing education for all of Georgia’s judges.

Prior to his appointment to the Magistrate Court, Judge Wigington served for a number of years in law enforcement. With the Office of the Sheriff in Pickens County he attained and left the office at the rank of Chief Deputy Sheriff after service in each division and rank. Judge Wigington also served as the Chief of Police for the City of Nelson, Georgia for five years. Judge Wigington holds degrees in Social Work, Criminal Justice and Justice Administration.

Judge Wigington is a member of Jasper United Methodist Church, and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Appalachian Children’s Center and a member of the Board of Directors at Pickens Animal Rescue. He and his wife Rosie have two children, Kate and Jack.

“I ask first for your prayers and then for your votes as we go through this election. I plan to maintain the same high level of professionalism and fair and impartial administration of justice that you have come to expect from your Magistrate Court” said Wigington. Judge Wigington will be on the July 31, 2012 Republican Primary Ballot.

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