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Excellent person and judge. Wade will be a positive addition to the Superior Court Bench.
Columbia County Chief Magistrate Judge Wade Padgett will be named to the Augusta Circuit's Superior Court bench.
"My feet haven't touched the ground in the last 45 minutes," Judge Padgett said Friday afternoon after receiving a call from Gov. Sonny Perdue informing him of his selection.
The governor said Judge Padgett would be notified later of the date and time he would be sworn in. He will replace Judge Duncan Wheale, who has announced his retirement.
Judge Padgett ran in the July primary unopposed and will be on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. He will be sworn in as chief magistrate in January but will resign by the effective date of his appointment as Superior Court judge. The judges of the Augusta Circuit will then elect a new chief magistrate.
Judge Padgett, 43, was appointed Columbia County associate magistrate by Chief Magistrate David Hugenin in 1994. He ran for chief magistrate in 2004.
Before going onto the bench, Judge Padgett was an assistant district attorney for District Attorneys Mike Eubanks and then Danny Craig. He left the district attorney's office in mid-1993 and went into private practice with his wife, Alice.
Judge Padgett was chosen over one other finalist on the governor's short list: Augusta attorney E. Freddie Sanders, 58, of the Capers, Dunbar, Sanders & Bruckner law firm.
Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228 or sylvia.cooper@augustachronicle.com.
THIS STORY WAS FIRST REPORTED ON AUGUSTACHRONICLE.COM AT 2:07 P.M.
Comments
Excellent person and judge. Wade will be a positive addition to the Superior Court Bench.
Congratulations Wade, you will be one of the best. Wade is a friend, fellow member of WUMC and most of all just a GOOD person. Wade is tough but fair, great choice by the Governor.
Congratulations my good friend. I am proud of you and for you. Couldn't be a more deserving selection.....now go do the people a great job!
CONGRATULATIONS, Judge Padgett! You make another welcomed addition to the growing lineup of Good Gals and Guys on the bench in The Augusta Judicial Circuit.
Great choice!
I only wish you were going to Juvenile Court Wade... you understand the needs and responsibilities of children and teenagers, he can speak to parents AND they get it. Superior court needs you too. so good luck with all.
Great choice. Thank God the other wasn't chosen. It would have been a nightmare. Anyone chosen from that firm would have.
Congratulations Judge Padgett. They chose the right man for the job. Magistrate court has a good man to fill his shoes in Bobby Christine. Both will do great jobs in these positions.
Congrats Wade!!!
You will serve well, I'm proud of your accomplishments!
Congratulations and well deserved recognition!! Thank you for all of the truly heartfelt work you have put into the youth of Columbia County. I am sure there are countless students that have thought twice about potentially life-altering decisions because of the time you took to visit our schools and provide them with frank facts and sincere talk!
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