STATESBORO—Ogeechee Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Michael Muldrew officially announced Friday his intentions to run for Superior Court Judge for the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit, comprised of Bulloch, Effingham, Jenkins and Screven counties.
He will run for the seat to be vacated by Superior Court Judge John R. Turner, who said last month he will retire effective Dec. 31.
“I have been serving the community and citizens of Bulloch County nearly all my life as an assistant district attorney for 20 years,” he said. “During that time I have worked with a great team of public servants, led by District Attorney Richard Mallard, to keep our streets and homes safe and secure. Early in my career I felt called to serve as a prosecutor, and I always thought I would be able to serve the most people as superior court judge.”
Muldrew’s family moved to Brooklet in the early 1980s when his father began working as an engineer for Gulfstream and his mother as a public school teacher. He graduated from Statesboro High in 1984, and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1987 and a juris doctorate in 1990 from the University of Georgia.
After that, Muldrew worked for the late Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney Dupont Cheney in Hinesville. He moved back to Bulloch County in 1995, accepting an offer from then-district attorney Joe Martin to be an assistant district attorney.
“Being able to move back home and continue my career serving the citizens of Georgia and begin raising a family was a dream come true,” he said.
Muldrew is also active in church and civic endeavors. He served as president of the Sallie Z. Neighborhood Association, as a first grade Sunday school teacher for the last seven years at Statesboro’s First Baptist Church, participated in Leadership Bulloch and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Choices of the Heart and Young Life.
He said he has “always felt I would make a good judge” and that he could serve more people as judge. During his announcement speech Friday, he promised to “treat each case with utmost importance” if elected.
Married to Laurie Waters for 23 years, the couple has three children: Daniel, in his second year at Mercer University; Joseph, a junior at Southeast Bulloch High, and Kate, a sixth grader at Southeast Bulloch Middle School.
He was also a Cub Scout leader for eight years, a Recreation Department three-sport volunteer for nearly a decade and an active supporter of equestrian events. His wife and daughter ride and compete on horseback and the family are members of the Bulloch County Horsemen’s Association. Muldrew’s hobbies include “all things outdoor related including hunting and fishing with my sons and especially kayaking with friends and family,” he said.
As an assistant district attorney, he said “I have had a good impact on criminal cases. As superior court judge, I will have a positive impact on one third of all criminal and civil cases.”
Muldrew said he hopes to continue serving his community.
“I look forward to continuing life’s wonderful journey by continuing my 20 years of service to the citizens of the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit as judge of the Superior Court. If elected I will strive to make sure the work I do improves the lives of all who live in this county.”
Qualifying for all local offices in the upcoming elections is March 7-11. The general primary election is May 24.
