Fayette County's

newest Superior Court Judge takes office January 1st to fill the remaining

two years on Chief Judge Ben J. Miller Jr.'s unexpired term.

Tommy Hankinson,

who has been practicing in the Griffin Judicial Circuit for the past 25

years, admits it will be a challenge, but it's one he's looking forward

to.

Hankinson is

new to holding public office. While he has been a legal fixture in Thomaston,

his new office will be in Griffin where Miller's was.

"I just

really think they need a judge there," Hankinson said.

Hankinson will

start getting his feet wet the first week of January with hearings here

in Fayette County. He was one of three finalists for the position including

attorney Drew Whalen of Griffin and Fayette County State Court Judge Fletcher

Sams.

"I got

to looking at the nominations and I thought I was the oldest person on

there," Hankinson said. "It made me feel like a senior citizen."

Hankinson said

Whalen and Sams were both very gracious to him after he was selected for

the post by outgoing Gov. Roy Barnes.

Hankinson is

quick to admit he doesn't have any experience as a judge, but he's ready

to learn and he's seen much as a practicing attorney. He will attend Superior

Court Judge training in January.

"I'm going

to need a lot of help and support," Hankinson said. Referring to

Judge Sams, Hankinson joked "at least he knows how to put his robe

on."

Hankinson supported

Sams' campaign when Sams ran for district attorney before being elected

as Fayette's state court judge.

Hankinson said

he might not have run for the office due to a lack of political ambition,

and he may not run for election once his two years term ends.

"I'll

have to see, I may not like this job," he said, adding that he was

very grateful for the opportunity.

Hankinson,

who graduated from law school at the University of Georgia in 1973, has

held a variety of other jobs, serving as a police officer at the U.S.

Capitol in Washington and spending one summer as a radio operator for

the Georgia State Patrol.

"I'm probably

the only judge who's ever been a gravedigger," Hankinson joked, adding

seriously that he is "looking forward to meeting a lot of the folks"

in Fayette County.