Bulloch County Chief Magistrate Judge June B. Braswell is retiring Sept. 30 after a total of 40 years and three months service with the Bulloch County Magistrate Court.

The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners, led by Chairman Roy Thompson, presented a proclamation in her honor at the beginning of their Tuesday, Sept. 19, meeting. Braswell also received a tiny golden gavel on a gold chain from the commissioners and their staff and words of praise from her staff, along with some kidding and more kudos from County Manager Tom Couch.

“In our words you are a valued mentor and a leader to friends and employees of all of Bulloch County,” Couch said. “But your staff described you as being passionate, loyal, thoughtful, genuine, considerate, kind…”

Still, he kidded her about her appreciation for the music of James Taylor and for the television drama NCIS and hunky actor Mark Harmon, and also about her being a “hanging judge.” The Magistrate Court has, among other responsibilities, jurisdiction over county ordinances. Once years ago while attending her court in an unrelated case, Couch recalled, he saw Braswell impose a more than $4,000 fine on a man who did not accept this quietly.

“He got a little lippy and then Deputy Brown at the time cuffed him and took him away,” Couch said, with a nod to now-Sheriff Noel Brown and adding, to Braswell, “But he was a big guy, and you made him very, very angry.”

Then Couch said he’s going to miss her.

“All of these kind words that your staff said and more can’t possibly describe the good and wonderful heart that I know you really have,” he said. “You’ve always been kind and respectful – kind of a hanging judge – but still kind and respectful.”

He added that she has been “very fair to a lot of people, too.”

Forty-year career

As stated in the proclamation, Braswell started her work with the Bulloch County Magistrate Court on July 1, 1983. She was a deputy clerk at first. On July 1, 1992, she was appointed deputy magistrate.

After the previous chief magistrate, Judge Billy Joe Deal, died while in office, Braswell was appointed chief magistrate in January 2000 to fulfill his unexpired term. As the resolution states, she was elected to her first full term as chief magistrate by county citizens in November 2000. This part is not in the proclamation, but she was one of four candidates in that election, won without a runoff, and has been re-elected without opposition each election cycle since.

The resolution does state that she retires “after continuously and faithfully serving six consecutive terms in this elected office.” It proclaims the “appreciation and gratitude” of the commissioners on behalf of the citizens of the county and wishes her “a happy, healthy and productive retirement.”

“It’s been a  really good run,” Braswell said in an interview later Tuesday. “It’s been a job that I can say I truly enjoyed getting up and coming to work every day. … I have worked with people I adored, I love them like family, and it’s been great.”

She said she fell in love with working at the court when she tried it looking for “something new” 40 years ago and found it presented something new to learn every day.

“And then the other thing was I always felt like we’re helping somebody,” Braswell said. “When people came here most of the time they came not because they were happy or because they just wanted to see you, but because they had a problem, some issue. They came here because they needed something, and so you felt like you were helping people. That’s what I’ve enjoyed most about this job.”

Continuity at court

As chief magistrate, Braswell leads, at the moment, a 14-person staff, including clerks, constables, herself and two other Bulloch County Magistrate Court judges, known in the past as deputy magistrates, but now simply as magistrates. Magistrate Karen C. Jones, who has about 35 years experience with the court, has been recommended to Chief Judge F. Gates Peed of the Ogeechee Circuit Superior Courts for appointment as chief magistrate to fulfill the remainder of Braswell’s term, she said.

The nonpartisan office is slated for an election in May for a full term beginning January 2025.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Lynn Sapp, recently appointed to that role so the court will still have two judges after Braswell’s retirement, has completed her magistrate training. She previously served as hearing clerk.

The Magistrate Court issues search and arrest warrants for law enforcement, holds probable cause hearings for criminal warrants sought by private citizens, hears county ordinance cases such as those alleging animal control and clean community violations, handles civil claims up to $15,000 value, issues writs of possession and holds eviction hearings.

Asked at the commissioners’ meeting what she plans to do after retiring, Braswell said, “nothing,” at first but indicated she will be spending time with family.

“My sisters and I are going to take a couple of trips, and then my family – my daughters and my grandson and my son-in-law, we’re going to take a little trip – and then the holidays, and after the first of the year I’ll make actual plans,” she said.

Braswell has four grown children – Amber Braswell, Tiffany Donaldson, Will Braswell and David Braswell – and two grandchildren, Bailey Braswell – who lives with her as her adopted son – and Cady Braswell. All but David, who lives in California, reside in Bulloch County.

“First, I’m just kind of taking it easy for a few months, something I haven’t done in 40 years,” she said.