Dear Dawson County Voters,
Having served as your Associate Magistrate Judge for the past three years, I am now seeking the office of Chief Magistrate Judge. I was appointed as Associate Magistrate in 2005 with approval of the Superior Court Judges of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit and commissioned by Governor Sonny Perdue.
In addition to carrying out my duties as a judge, I am also pursuing a degree in pre-law. I hold a paralegal degree with a specialty in civil litigation, and a small business management degree. This education is directly applicable to my job as a judge and has provided me the necessary skills to lead the court now and in the future.
I preside over criminal and civil cases daily and manage numerous administrative duties of the court. I am the only candidate with Magistrate Court experience and can be entrusted with the responsibility of administering the court due to this knowledge.
As your Judge, I promise to ensure that the Magistrate Court provides a professional and friendly environment for handling the business of the people. I pledge to continue administering justice in a fair and impartial manner according to the laws of the State of Georgia.
I ask for your vote and support on Tuesday, July 15 in the Republican Primary.
Sincerely,
Lisa Thurmond
- Created a software manual for Criminal Justice Technologies enabling the court to use the new software at no cost to taxpayers for two years
- Composed a court procedural manual pertaining to each case-type
- Wrote a warrant interface manual for officers
- Managed and maintained the court website
- Manages the court's purchasing card account
- Collaborates on budget with Chief Magistrate
- Compiles case-load statistics for quarterly state reports
- Responds to warrant and first appearance hearing requests 24/7
- Design and implement a search warrant interface
- Establish video conferencing for arrest and search warrants
- Increase jurisdiction for misdemeanor offenses with Superior Court approval
- Transition into the new courthouse
She has two sons, Matt and Chris, and a daughter-in-law, Sarah. Lisa is an active member of Kilough Church by the Lake.
She enjoys reading, cooking and gardening.
Magistrate Court is the small claims court of the judicial system. The civil jurisdictional limit is 15,000 with the exception of Dispossessory (eviction) cases which have no monetary limit. The court also presides over criminal matters. A Magistrate Judge is available 24/7 to sign arrest warrants, search warrants, and preside over First Appearance Hearings. Magistrate Court has jurisdiction over the following:
- Dispossessory
- Statement of Claims
- Garnishments
- Interrogatories
- Abandoned Motor Vehicles
- Personal Property Foreclosure
- FIFA (lien)
- Pre-warrant Application Hearings
- Issuance of Search Warrants
- Issuance of Arrest Warrants
- Preliminary Hearings
- First Appearance Hearings
- Extradition Hearings
- County Ordinance Violations
