For the swearing in of Bulloch County's elected officials — and a few for the larger Ogeechee Judicial Circuit — for the 2025–2028 term, family members, friends and fellow citizens filled the main courtroom at the historic Bulloch County Courthouse to standing-room only Monday morning.

Judge Lorna DeLoach of Bulloch County Probate Court, who had taken the preparatory step of being sworn in for her own new term along with a few Superior Court and State Court officials 10 days earlier, officiated. After the Rev. Joe Eason of Trinity Baptist Church, Nevils, gave the opening prayer, Sheriff Noel J. Brown was the first to affirm the oaths of office and loyalty. In fact, there are two separate statements repeated or affirmed by every local elected official in Georgia.

But first, as news to some, DeLoach announced that this may be the last swearing-in for Sheriff Brown because he intends to retire at the end of the new term.

"Four more years for me and I'm done," he told the Statesboro Herald afterward. "Let them all come fight over it then."

In 2024 Brown was one of just two local incumbents who won re-election over challenger candidates. All other Bulloch County officials who were re-elected were unopposed. Brown far outpolled fourth-time candidate Keith Howard in the Republican primary in May. But as Brown suggested in his remark above, more candidates tend to emerge when a sheriff retires.

'So help me God'

He has now been sheriff eight years. Retiring at the end of 2028 would give him a total of 12 years as sheriff and a total of 36 years in civilian law enforcement, after some years of military service. His wife, Laura, held the Bible that he placed his left hand on while he raised his right hand. They were accompanied by his son Cole and daughter Dakota and her husband, Tyler Deal.

To reduce verbal stumbles, DeLoach recites the oath for each office and the separate, generic loyalty oath in question form, instead of asking the elected officials to repeat back every word. "Do you solemnly swear or affirm…?" she began. Brown, for example, affirmed both the oath of sheriff and the loyalty oath with, "So help me God, I do."

Bennett now chairman

David Bennett, incoming chairman of the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners, was the first newly elected official to be sworn in Monday. 

With the oath of commissioner he swore or affirmed that he is "not the holder of any unaccounted public money due this State, or any political subdivision or authority thereof," and "not the holder of any office of trust under the government of the United States, any other state, or any foreign state" that Georgia's laws prohibit him from holding, and is "otherwise qualified to hold said office" and "will support the Constitutions of the United States and of this state."

Bennett's wife, Jessica, held the Bible, and their daughters Emma and Sarah stood with them. David Bennett's parents and some other family members also attended.

"This is the culmination of a long year, and I'm just excited and ready to get to work," Bennett said.

Now he will take over as chair at the next regular Board of Commissioners meeting Jan. 7, or with any county business where he is needed before then. Bennett has been chairman-elect since his victory over outgoing Chairman Roy Thompson in the May primary. Thompson served eight years as chairman after 12 as district commissioner.

County commissioners

Seat 1-A Commissioner Ray Mosley, the one Bulloch County incumbent other than the sheriff to win re-election against opposition, was sworn in with his wife, Odean, again holding the Bible. A Democrat, Mosley held off a Republican challenger in the November general election in District 1.

"It's just a blessing to be able to be a public servant for four more years, and I'm looking forward to great things happening in 2025," said Mosley, whose more than 15 cumulative years as a commissioner are part of his 20-plus total years on county boards.

Nick Newkirk, now Seat 2-C commissioner, ran in what was at first a three-candidate Republican primary race, leading at the Republican primary and winning a primary runoff in June over now outgoing Commissioner Jappy Stringer, who served eight years. Then Newkirk handily fended off a Democratic candidate in the general election.

Newkirk's wife, April, who previously served on the Bulloch County Board of Education, held the Bible, and they were accompanied by their four sons.

Seat 2-A Commissioner Ray Davis was sworn in for the second time in just over two months. After he defeated then-Commissioner Curt Deal in the Republican primary in May, Deal resigned in October as he and his family prepared to move to another part of Georgia. Appointed in October by the Superior Court judges and sworn in then by DeLoach to complete Deal's turn, Davis nonetheless needed to be sworn again for his own term to begin Jan. 1. His wife, Belinda, held the Bible.

Other officials

Charles R. "Chuck" Francis was sworn in as the new Bulloch County coroner. Running as a Republican, he won the November general election over the winner of a two-candidate race in the Democratic primary for the open position.

Judge Karen Riggs Jones, Bulloch County chief magistrate by appointment since the September 2023 retirement of previous Chief Magistrate June Bradley Braswell, ran unopposed for the full term. Her grandson Jaxon Duberry, 9, travelled from his home in Florida to do the honors as Bible holder. The judge was also accompanied by her husband, John, and other family members.

Tax Commissioner Leslie D. Akins, Clerk of Superior Court Heather Banks McNeal and County Surveyor John A. Dotson were also sworn in for the new term after being re-elected without opposition.

Robert Busbee was sworn in as the new District Attorney for the four-county Ogeechee Judicial Circuit, with his wife, Erika, holding the Bible and accompanied by their two young sons, his parents and several other family members. A separate story about Busbee appears online and is being updated for the print edition.

Continuing as a Superior Court judge in the Ogeechee Circuit, which includes Bulloch, Jenkins and Screven counties, Judge Ronald K. "Ronnie" Thompson had been sworn in first in Effingham County. But he also chose to take part in the Bulloch County ceremony because of his family ties here.

DeLoach privately swore in new Ogeechee Circuit Superior Judge Matt Hube at 9:30 a.m., before the 10:30 a.m. main ceremony. But retiring Superior Court Judge F. Gates Peed, whom Hube was elected without opposition to succeed, held a separate, ceremonial swearing-in for Hube in a courtroom at the Bulloch County Judicial Annex at 11 a.m.

A story about that will appear later.