Katy Paulk takes oath of office, now officially State Court judge

It’s now officially Judge Katy Paulk.

Tuesday afternoon at the Capitol, Gov. Brian Kemp swore in Katy Paulk as Coffee County’s new State Court judge. She replaces Judge Bob Preston, who retired from the State Court bench in December of last year after 18 years.

Paulk has served as Solicitor General of Coffee County since 2012. She also served as a Solicitor for the Municipal Court of Douglas, where she prosecuted all misdemeanor cases. Previously, she served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Waycross Judicial Circuit and continues in this role on a part-time basis, aiding in felony cases to assist in the backlog of serious, violent offenses. She also worked as a paralegal before obtaining her law degree. Paulk earned her J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law and B.B.A. from Valdosta State University. 

Though Judge Paulk is now on the bench, there are still a few loose ends to tie up in State Court. Some of the cases that have yet to be heard will require a recusal judge to hear them. 

Also, State Court is without a Solicitor for the time being. Gov. Kemp’s next order of business for Coffee County is to appoint a new Solicitor. So while the court is coming together in the wake of Judge Preston’s retirement, the transition period isn’t over  yet.