Chief Judge Benjamin R. Makin of the Magistrate Court of Athens-Clarke County announces the appointment of Edward Hunt Brumby as Associate Judge of Magistrate Court, effective September 14, 2026. This part-time position was approved by the Mayor and Commission as part of the Fiscal Year 2027 budget to enhance court operations in Magistrate Court and Superior Court in general and expedite petitions for temporary protective orders in particular.

"We are proud to have Edward Brumby join the Magistrate Court team and are certain he will effectively serve the residents of Athens-Clarke County in civil and criminal matters that come before the court," said Judge Makin. "His years of service in the legal profession and with ACCGov demonstrate his commitment to the rule of law and his faith in our local community."

Brumby has practiced law in Athens-Clarke County since 2000 and has lived in Athens-Clarke County since 2001. In the Western Judicial Circuit, he has worked as an Assistant District Attorney, Chief Assistant Public Defender, and Staff Attorney for Superior Court Judge Lawton Stephens and former Judge Regina Quick. Brumby assisted in establishing and advising the Circuit’s Treatment and Accountability Court and served on the board of the Athens-Clarke County Law Library until this appointment. He is a past president of the Western Circuit Bar Association.

Brumby returned to college at the same time as his oldest child, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and English from Oglethorpe University in 1997 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1999. He anticipates completion of a Master of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences this fall. 

"I’m gratified that I was chosen for this position and I look forward to serving the community as Associate Magistrate Judge," said Brumby.

Brumby will be sworn in as Magistrate Court Judge on Friday, September 25, 2026, at 3:00 PM in the Municipal Court Courtroom in the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse at 325 East Washington Street.