Fayette County resident, Rudjard Hayes received notice from the Office of Administrative Hearings that the challenge to his residency status as a candidate for District Attorney had been “removed from the hearing calendar and will be dismissed by order of the Judge,” without a hearing.

The challenge to Hayes’ residency came just after Hayes qualified as a candidate for District Attorney for the Griffin Judicial Circuit. In response to the challenge, Hayes stated it was an attempt “to avoid discussing the real issues before the voters in this election.”

Hayes stated that, “I was never in doubt about the outcome of the challenge. The dismissal of the challenge on the day of the hearing clearly demonstrates that the complaint was not based on fact or law. We can move forward and focus on the real issues in the campaign. I am running for District Attorney for the Griffin Judicial Circuit because all four counties which comprise this Judicial Circuit deserve leadership, competency, preparedness, and accountability from the District Attorney which they are not currently receiving. I have been a prosecutor for 12+ years and am prepared to utilize this experience to provide the leadership that this community deserves.”

The election for District Attorney will be held on July 15, 2008.