Weeks after runoff election, swearing-in ceremony completed for new Probate Court Judge

Weeks after a run-off decided who would be the new judge on the Probate Court Bench, the candidate is now his honor after a midweek swearing-in ceremony at the Polk County Courthouse.

Bobby Brooks – who has served as a Judge for municipal courts around Polk County, and was once District Attorney – is finally Judge Brooks after he took the oath of office on Wednesday afternoon. Superior Court Judge Andrew Roper presided officiated Judge Brooks taking the oath during a short ceremony.

Judge Roper asked local attorney Mike McRae to say a few words about Judge Brooks before it became official. McRae told the assembled guests in brief remarks that what he appreciated about the new judge over the Probate Court was his perseverance.

“Bobby and I ate lunch, where I said congratulations the other day, and I said ‘Bobby, it’s kind of unusual that the Lord finally got you in this position,’” McRae said. “And he said ‘Well, we took a lot of detours along the way.’”

Brooks after taking the oath briefly thanked everyone for coming to support him and those who put in hard work during his campaign.

“I just can’t express enough how much I appreciate that from all of you,” he said. “Now you’ve got to pray for me now comes the hard part: the responsibility kicks in. It’s always nice to have an occasion like this, but now I have to go to work.”

He said that he was determined for it to be a success.

That work will get underway after the holidays conclude and the courts can get back to the regular business at the start of 2023.

Judge Brooks is the fourth judge to take over the Probate Court in two years.

He takes the bench after a short term of Judge Shayne Green, who took over for a now-retired Judge Tony Brazier in July. He had taken over following an election in 2020 from Judge Linda Smith.