On March 20, at the 2019 Spring Conference in St. Simons, the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia honored Judge Sarah Harris of the Macon-Bibb County Probate Court as its 2019 recipient of the Outstanding Probate Judge of the Year Award. The Outstanding Probate Judge of the Year award is voted on by each elected probate judge in Georgia’s 159 counties.

Last March, Judge Harris was elected as the Council’s president for the 2018-2019 term. During her year as Council president, Judge Harris has been instrumental in overseeing a number of Council initiatives including a rewrite of the Council’s bylaws, a significant revision of the Uniform Probate Court Rules, promoting an increased focus on self-represented litigants, encouraging greater involvement by members of the Council through its respective districts, revamping its standing committees, identifying up and coming Council leaders, and achieving a number of the Council’s goals as set forth in the most recent version of the Council’s strategic plan.

Dooly County Probate Judge Rooney Bowen III, the 2018 recipient of the Outstanding Probate Judge of the Year award and 2017-2018 Council president, presented Judge Harris with this year’s award.

“Without her focused and efficient leadership, our Council would not have accomplished everything that it did during her year as Council president” stated Judge Bowen. “Whether she realizes it or not, she has put this Council in a much stronger position for many years to come.”

Judge Harris previously served as the Council’s President-elect and First Vice President. On June 1, Judge Harris will transition into the role of Immediate Past President.