Chattooga County Probate Judge Jon Payne is celebrating a milestone today.  As Probate Judge, Payne has married many couples in Chattooga County over his forty years.  His office is also responsible for probating wills and Judge Payne is an associate magistrate judge as well.  He also serves as election superintendent.  

In 1975, Judge Payne won a special election to fill the office of Probate Judge after Judge Paul Weems died while in office.  Judge Weems died not long after Chattooga County legislative legend Representative James H. "Sloppy" Floyd had passed away.  Payne said, "for about six to eight weeks folks were voting in special elections in Chattooga County.  First to fill Sloppy Floyd's seat and then on Probate Judge."  

Judge Payne took office on February 24, 1975 after a crowded field of candidates vied for the position. There were seven candidates in that first special election, but only once since then had Judge Payne faced opposition in the Democratic Primary – in 1988.  No Republicans have ran for the seat in the past forty years

Judge Payne said that there is only one other Probate Judge in Georgia that has served longer than he has.  Judge Nancy Aspinwall of Liberty County, in Southeast Georgia, has served twenty-two months longer than Judge Payne.  Judge Payne said that Becky Duke, who works in the probate office, has been with him for thirty-nine years this year. 

Congratulations to Judge Payne for forty years of service to Chattooga County.