LEESBURG — Georgia Southwestern alumni, Jimmie Brown is a candidate to become the next Superior Court judge of the Southwestern Judicial Circuit, vying for the seat currently held by incumbent Judge Rucker Smith.

Brown said, "We are blessed to live in a great area with a lot of good people. It is time to quit complaining about government and step up. I hope to be a deliberative and unbiased judge who you can be proud and confident to decide your legal matters. If folks will take the time to ask about me, I pray that they will hear I am mild-tempered, knowledgeable and straightforward in my dealings." He indicated an additional reason for running was to apply his years of business experience to meet a need in improving court efficiency and case management.

Brown grew up in Cusseta where his father owned a bait and tackle shop. He said he was not from a wealthy family which could afford to send him to college. He joined the military at age 17, serving in the 82nd Airborne Division as an infantry paratrooper in the mid-1970s. Using the GI Bill, he earned a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus and a law degree from Mercer University in Macon.

He has been practicing law for 25 years in Southwest Georgia, handling a wide range of criminal, civil, contract and domestic cases but focusing primarily on civil cases involving the Georgia Motor Vehicle Code, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and Workers’ Compensation Act during the past several years at Brown & Scoccimaro, P.C. where he is the managing partner. His practice includes representing parties in both state and federal courts.

Brown said he considered running for a number of years, but did not find it easy to leave an active law practice.

"I also had to wait until my kids were nearly out of college before facing the income reduction required by the job," Brown said.

Brown and his wife Tina will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in April. They have four children: Candi, Keith, Rusty and Leslie. He and Tina attend First Baptist Church Leesburg, where he serves as a trustee. He’s been a member of the American Legion for 35 consecutive years and is a Life member. He has served on the Dougherty County Law Library Board, the Lee County Law Library Board, Merck & Co.’s Community Advisory Panel and the Lee County Indigent Defense Committee. Additionally, he’s been a seminar speaker on various legal topics to audiences of attorneys, claims adjusters and human resource personnel.

His personal interests include flying regionally, having been a pilot for 28 years. He also flies remote controlled airplanes and helicopters in the local area. Brown collects historic firearms and enjoys recreational shooting on a regular basis.

Brown has created a website which posts his views and additional information at www.votejimmiebrown.com Qualification for this office is in June. The election will be during the general election in November. If elected, he would begin serving in January 2009. The Southwestern Judicial Circuit is comprised of Lee, Macon, Schley, Stewart, Sumter and Webster counties.