Dr. Michael Grady was sworn in as the new Newton County Deputy Coroner on Monday at the Newton County Courthouse.

Grady of Oxford, Georgia worked as a medical doctor in Newton County for 25 years and recently served as a deputy coroner in Rockdale County. He will join Steve Jones as the second deputy coroner of Newton County. Jones, a paramedic and Battalion Chief with the City of Covington, has been a deputy coroner for the county since 2010.

The deputy coroner’s job is to “determine the cause and manner of death, along with the circumstances that lead to the death of those who died in our county or those deaths that occurred as a result of an event or incident that occurred here in Newton County,” according to Coroner Tommy Davis. The deputy coroner serves in a part-time position and responds when the coroner is unavailable.

According to Davis, the county is required to have at least one deputy coroner by Georgia law Title 45. The deputy coroner is appointed by Davis based on need and experience level.

Due to the increase in call volume, there was a need in the county for an additional deputy corner, according to Davis.