Chief Judge Lockette of the Superior Court for the Dougherty Judicial Circuit has announced that he will not seek an eighth 4-year term in the upcoming general election.

Judge Lockette has nearly thirty-three years judicial experience. He was appointed by form.er State Court Judge Rosser A. Malone as an Associate Judge of the Magistrate Court of Dougherty County 1991. He was appointed Chief Judge of the Magistrate Court by former State Court Judge John F. Salter in 1993. As Judge of the Magistrate Court, Judge Lockette regularly served by designation as Judge of both the State and Superior Courts of Dougherty County.  

In the 1996 general election, Judge Lockette made history by becoming the first African American since Reconstruction to win a contested county-wide election, and also the first African American to win a seat on the Dougherty Superior Court by election rather than appointment. Since 1996, Judge Lockette has been re-elected without opposition for seven consecutive 4-year terms.  

Judge Lockette became Chief Judge of the Dougherty Superior Court in 2009 and continues to serve in that capacity. During his stellar judicial career, Judge Lockette has also served by designation on the Probate and Juvenile Courts of Dougherty County, and the Supreme Court of Georgia.  

Judge Lockette earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree summa cum laude in History and Political Science from The Fort Valley State University, and a Juris Doctor Degree cum laude from The University of Illinois, College of Law.  

Prior to his appointment as Chief Magistrate Court Judge, Lockette practiced law as a Staff Attorney (3 years) and as Managing Attorney (16 years) of the Albany Regional Office of Georgia Legal Services Programs, Inc. For approximately eight years he also served as an adjunct professor of History, Political Science and Public Administration at Albany State University.  

After his present term ends in December 2024, Judge Lockette intends to continue serving Dougherty County as a Senior Superior Court Judge, as well as serving throughout the State of Georgia when judicial assistance is needed.