The City of Stockbridge swore in a new Chief Judge at the G.W. Evans Jr. Municipal Court Building on January 23. Stockbridge Mayor Mark A. Alarcon administered the judicial oath of office to Chief Judge Santana T. Flanigan during the ceremony.

   Mr. Flanigan was appointed by the City Council on January 14th and will serve along with Christopher Chapman as Associate Judge, Jerry Patrick as Solicitor, and Jason Martin as Associate Solicitor.

  Mr. Flanigan is a 2006 graduate of the University of Georgia Law School where he was an active member of the Student Bar Association, Black Law Student Association, and the Labor and Employment Law Association. He additionally served as Chief Investigator and Prosecutor of the Honor Court, and was on the Davenport-Benham Black Law Students Association Mock Trial Team. He is an Associate with the law firm of Smith, Welch, Webb & White in McDonough.

  Mr. Christopher Chapman will serve as Associate Judge. He is a graduate of the John Marshall Law School in Atlanta and has been admitted to all levels of State and Federal Court. He also has the experience of being a prosecutor in Henry County, a Magistrate Court Judge for Henry County, a Municipal Court Judge for the City of McDonough and an adjunct instructor for several law enforcement agencies and police academies. He is an Associate with the law firm of Smith, Welch, Webb & White in McDonough.

  Mr. Patrick will serve as Solicitor, commonly referred to as the prosecutor. He has extensive experience as a Solicitor, having served in that capacity for more than a decade at the cities of Forest Park, Jonesboro, Riverdale and Morrow. He has initiated educational programs in other courts for those defendants age 21 and younger with the intent of curtailing repeat offenses. Mr. Patrick will be assisted by Mr. Jason Martin, who will serve as Associate Solicitor.