Atlanta – Judge Melanie Bell of the Newton County Probate Court was recognized last week as one of 28 probate judges across the state of Georgia who recently completed the Georgia Probate Court Judges’ Certificate Program and one of 78 probate judges who completed the Georgia Probate Court Judges’ Traffic Certificate Program.

The Georgia Probate Court Judges’ Certificate Program was an original creation of the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government and the Probate Court Judges Training Council and the Georgia Probate Court Judges’ Traffic Certificate Program was created as a collaboration between the Institute for Continuing Judicial Education and the Probate Court Judges Training Council.

The primary objective of both the Georgia Probate Court Judges’ Certificate Program and the Georgia Probate Court Judges’ Traffic Certificate Program is to provide a rigorous, multi-year curriculum of specialized training for every probate court judge and associate probate judge in Georgia. Both programs are mandatory, and it is possible to complete each program within a four-year term of office.

Judge Tammy Brown of the Barrow County Probate Court, who currently serves as the president of the Constitutional Officers Association of Georgia and served as the president of the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia when the certificate program was created, highlighted the importance of the program.

“When we created the program, the original idea was to provide specialized training for each judge,” said Brown. “We felt it was important to do so because probate court is a very unique class of court and regardless of the prior experience and education that a judge has prior to taking office, we wanted every judge to receive training that is tailored specifically for what is needed to successfully serve as a probate judge.”

The Georgia Probate Court Judges’ Certificate Program is currently facilitated by the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education. ICJE provides basic training and continuing education for every judge in the state of Georgia and other court personnel.

ABOUT THE COUNCIL OF PROBATE COURT JUDGES

Established and given jurisdiction by O.C.G.A. § 15-9-15 to further improve the administration of probate courts across the state. The Council lends assistance to its respective judges in the execution of their duties and promotes professional training. Each elected probate judge in each respective county in Georgia is a member of the Council.