Judges across the state have recognized Walker County Chief Magistrate Judge Jerry Day as the 2002 Magistrate of the Year.

Day said he was honored to receive the award during the last quarterly Magistrate Court Council Meeting hosted at Lake Lanier Island, but did not want people to make a fuss about it.

“I was excited and proud to get it, but I wasn’t going to go out and tell everyone about it,” he said.

Day said he was nominated from a pool of his peers. That pool is composed of more than 500 judges from all over Georgia.

Day said has lived his whole life in LaFayette except for a five-year stint in Rome. He is a U. S. Army veteran who was first elected to office in 1978 as justice of the peace. He was appointed as small claims court judge in 1982.

Day’s title changed to Chief Magistrate in 1983 when the Georgia Legislature abolished justice of the peace and small claims courts, creating a state wide system of magistrate courts.

Day said he has completed courses of study at the American Academy of Judicial Education and the National Judicial College and served on the Georgia Judicial council. Day is an active member of the Georgia Council of Magistrate Court Judges, where he has served on the Executive Committee since 1983