The four Floyd County judges whose terms end this year will be returned to the bench without opposition in the July 31 nonpartisan election.

Rome Circuit Superior Court Judges J. Bryant Durham Jr. and Jack Niedrach, Probate Court Judge Steve Burkhalter and Chief Magistrate Gene Richardson will start new four-year terms in January.

Durham, who has been on the bench nine years, was first appointed to the seat by Gov. Sonny Perdue. He was unopposed in his two previous elections.

Niedrach was elected in 2008 after Judge Larry Salmon retired. It was the first time in 20 years that a Superior Court judge race in Floyd County was without an incumbent.

Georgia has 49 judicial circuits and many of them include more than one county. The Rome circuit, however, covers only Floyd County.

The Superior Court is a general trial court for felony cases and major civil disputes.

Among the other cases heard in the court are those dealing with divorce, equity and title to land.

The Floyd County Probate Court handles wills and estate administration. It also is responsible for appointing guardians and ruling on involuntary hospitalization for incapacitated adults.

Burkhalter, first elected in 1996, is serving his fourth term.

Richardson was appointed chief magistrate in 2010, after Chris Mathis resigned. This will be his first election to a full, four-year term.

The Magistrate Court hears civil claims of $15,000 or less and some minor criminal offenses. It issues arrest and search warrants and, among other duties, handles county ordinance violations and bad checks.

Candidates for Floyd County’s magistrate and probate court judgeships previously ran in partisan elections. The Georgia General Assembly made the positions nonpartisan this year.

Elections Supervisor Evon Billups said preclearance from the U.S. Department of Justice, required under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, was issued last week.

Click here for a link to the Floyd County courts website.