By JANET McGREGOR
Special to The Citizen

Robert “Bob” A. Ruppenthal has announced he will run for magistrate judge in 2000.

During the Fayette County Republicans' monthly breakfast Saturday, he said he had not yet selected which of the four magistrate seats he would run for, saying he intended to talk with each of the judges prior to making a decision.

There are four elected Fayette County magistrate judges, Chief Magistrate A.K. Melear, Grady L. Huddleston, Joe Tinsely and James A. White.

The Magistrate Court handles civil damage claims of not more than $15,000 and criminal arrest applications, and issues arrest warrants and search warrants. The court handles suits for unpaid debts, such as loans, contracts, personal property foreclosures, garnishments, dispossessory actions for real estate properties and other similar actions.

Additionally the Magistrate Court holds pre-issuance warrant hearings and hearings for misdemeanor bad check cases up to and including trials.

Ruppenthal is a partner in the criminal and civil practice of Weldon and Ruppenthal PC. The firm has offices in Fayetteville and Jonesboro. Ruppenthal has been in practice locally since 1994. He served as president of the Fayette County Bar Association in 1998 and as secretary and treasurer in 1997.

He has a juris doctor degree from the Georgia State University of Law, an M.B.A. from Amber University in Dallas, Texas and has a bachelor of arts in operations management from Auburn University. He is a member of the Fayetteville First Baptist Church and is on the board of the Landmark Christian School Fellowship.

Prior to opening his law practice he taught high school at Landmark Christian School, was a manufacturing manager for Saw Industries and a manufacturing engineer with Texas Instruments in Dallas, Texas.

Ruppenthal lives in Fayetteville with wife, LeGray, and his two daughters, Danielle and Diana.