Each of the Newton County’s Superior Court judges took their oath of office Friday morning at the Newton County Judicial Center from the Honorable Harris P. Hines, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia.

“I have known these judges for a long time,” Hines said. “It is a privilege to be here today.”

Each of the Superior Court judges, John M. Ott, Samuel D. Ozburn, Horace J. Johnson Jr., Eugene M. Benton and W. Kendall Wynne Jr., was reelected without opposition in the nonpartisan general election in May.

Hines said a good judge comes from people who have good minds, courage and good hearts. He said judges are constantly tasked with making difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions.

 “You’re charged with being fair and equal, which maybe is not fair to anybody,” he said. “Being fair to somebody who themselves have not been fair to anybody including him or herself. Now, that’s a difficult thing. That’s an important task to do that.”

Hines said the Alcovy Judicial Circuit is blessed with judges who have good minds and good hearts to make the tough, but right, decisions.