After 16 months, Habersham County has a full-time chief magistrate judge once again in the person of Clarkesville attorney Tricia Hise.
Superior Court Judges Russell W. Smith, B. Chan Caudell and William R. “Bill” Oliver voted unanimously to appoint Hise to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of former Judge Gerald Johnson on Jan. 11, 2023.
Hise is a native of Habersham County, graduating from Habersham Central High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia and a law degree from Southwestern University School of Law. Judge Hise is a partner at Hotard & Hise, Attorneys at Law.
“I am honored to serve as Habersham’s Chief Magistrate. It’s a privilege to serve in this position and I am thankful for the opportunity,” Hise said Monday. “It’s important to recognize the dedication of Associate Magistrate Judge Amy Harris Thomas for her unwavering dedication to the Magistrate office and the citizens of Habersham County.”
Hise was admitted to the State Bar in 2005. From 2005-2007, she served as an assistant district attorney with the Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s office. Hise is admitted to practice law in the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Georgia Supreme Court and the United States District Court for the Northern Division of Georgia.
She has been actively involved in numerous civic and charitable organizations, including the Mountain Circuit Bar Association (previously serving as president). She serves on the steering committee of the Habersham Chamber of Commerce’s SOAR, having previously co-chaired the committee. She also served on the board of directors of the Habersham Chamber of Commerce and is an attorney coach for the Habersham Central Mock Trial Team. Hise is a member of the Habersham Rotary Club and the UGA Alumni Association. She was a member of the Leadership Habersham Class of 2018.
Hise ran for Georgia Senate District 50 in 2000 and finished third out of six candidates. She resides in Cornelia with her husband and son.
Johnson had been off the bench since October 2021 after a domestic violence incident caused a suspension that lasted until his resignation.
Georgia’s magistrate courts hear applications for search warrants, county ordinance violations, garnishments, dispossessory (eviction) cases, as well as civil claims for damages where the amount claimed does not exceed $15,000. They also set bail for most criminal offenses, conduct trials related to bad check cases and hear cases related to foreclosure of certain liens.
Habersham County’s Rob Moore and The Northeast Georgian editor Matthew Osborne contributed to this report.