Roswell Judge Election Called for May 2014

The citizens of Roswell apprently will get to elect a successor to longtime Municipal Judge Maurice Hilliard.

In a unanimous 6-0 vote, the City Council on Monday approved calling a special election to fill Hilliard's unexpired term next spring. 

The special election will take place on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, the same day as the general primary. 

Another resolution on Monday's agenda gave the council the option of holding the election on March 18, 2014, but that would have cost the city at least $150,000.

The city was facing an Oct. 4 deadline to call for a special election.

Roswell is the only city in Georgia that still elects a municipal judge, and there had been some discussion after Hilliard resigned about whether the position should remain elected or appointed.

That could still happen, since language in the council's resolution says the election would be held "if necessary."

A story in the Roswell Neighbor said the council is awaiting the results of a study by University of Georgia researchers about appointed and elected judges that will be ready by late October.

Earlier this month, council member Betty Price tried to place a straw poll question on the issue on the November city elections ballot but failed.

Hilliard, who had been Roswell's city judge for 30 years, resigned in August over differences with city solicitor Krista Young. 

In a e-mail to the council, Hilliard denounced the possibility of having an appointed judge, according to the Neighbor, as a violation of the city charter. 

Hilliard's successor will fill out the remaining two years of his term. 

Hilliard's job is handled by several interim judges appointed by the council to hear cases in city court.