Friday, July 15, 2005

What do you think of this story? Click here to send a message to the editor.

Calloway sworn in as new juvenile judge

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Karen Mozley Calloway loves children. Ever since she was a little girl, she knew that she was called to help children.

Today, Calloway is doing just that as the latest associate judge to join the Griffin Judicial Circuit Juvenile Court.

As the first female judge to serve in the Juvenile Court Division, Calloway will be an asset to the courts that are grappling with growing caseloads, her father, Sam Mozley of Fayetteville, said.

“We couldn’t have a better judge,” Mozley said. “She’s got the right ideas about what to do.”

Calloway was sworn in for her new part-time associate post at 11:30 a.m. July 8 at the Fayette County Courthouse. Presiding Juvenile Court Judge Tarey Schell performed the ceremony, while Calloway’s dad, daughter Elizabeth Bush, and grandchildren Julia and Jared Bush watched closely.

Elizabeth Bush said she is happy about her mother’s new job as a judge.

“We’re very proud of her, but we just think of her as mom and grandma,” said Bush of Hiram. “We’ve always loved her and we’ve always been proud of her.”

Ben Miller Jr. also serves as an associate judge for the Griffin Judicial Circuit Juvenile Court on a part-time basis.

Another position was created based on the increased number of juvenile court cases, Calloway said.

“We had so much stuff going on that they created another slot,” Calloway said.

The work is steadily increasing, but Calloway is looking forward to the position that will give her the opportunity to follow her passion of helping children.

Calloway has a nine-year history in the legal field and is no stranger to juvenile courts.

After obtaining her degree from the Georgia State University College of Law in 1996, the 52-year-old Fayetteville resident began her law career as an associate with Conrad & Abernathy law firm in Woodstock.

She later went to work as an attorney at Ballard & Ballard law firm in Fayetteville.

In 2000, Calloway started her own law firm and has served as the Guardian ad Litem for all children in deprivation cases in Spalding County Juvenile Court, and on appointed cases from the Pike and Fayette County Juvenile Courts.

“I had 400 open cases,” Calloway said.

Calloway also filled in from time-to-time as a judge pro tem in Fayette and Spalding County Juvenile Courts since 2000.

Her previous experience with juvenile courts in Fayetteville and Griffin will serve her well, Calloway indicated.

“I had been judge pro-tem for several years, but that just meant I was filling in when needed (in Fayette) and in Spalding County, but now I’m going to travel the circuit,” the Jonesboro native said.

Calloway is a member of the Fayette County Bar Association, and has served as secretary, treasurer, vice-president, and later president in 2002.