Honorable Judge Haywood Turner

Judge Turner was born May 3, 1944 in El Paso, TX, to Georgians stationed there briefly during WWII. The family moved back to Georgia in 1946 and eventually settled in Columbus in 1949.

Judge Turner attended Columbus High School, Class of 1962, and Mercer University Class of 1968, earning a degree in Mathematics. He enlisted the US Navy in 1968 and served as a Radioman on the USS Charles R. Ware, DD-865, a destroyer deployed from Guantanamo and Mayport Naval Bases, Cuba and Jacksonville, Florida. He was honorably discharged in 1970.

Judge Turner returned to Columbus and managed Inertia Nutcracker Company until 1973, and then taught math and physics in Columbus Vocational College (then, Columbus Tech.) from 1973 to 1975. He attended law school at the University of Georgia from 1975 to 1977, and was one of nine advisees of former Secretary-of-State, Dean Rusk.

Subsequently, Judge Turner was appointed to the position of Assistant District Attorney from 1978-1979. He then opened and maintained a law practice from 1979-1988, and his practice included appellate work for the city of Columbus.

Judge Turner was elected Chief Judge, Magistrate and Municipal Courts, unopposed, in 1988, 1992,1996 and 2000.

Honorable Judge Suzan Denson

Judge Denson attended and graduated from the local school district of Muscogee County. She attended and graduated from Columbus State University with an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Public Administration.

Judge Denson has been employed with the Magistrate Court since December 1988, and was appointed an Associate Magistrate Judge in 1996.

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