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Brown to run for Circuit court judge

• An Albany attorney announces his plans to run for judge of the Southwestern Judicial Circuit.

Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY – When it comes to discussing the man who now is officially his opponent in the November race for Superior Court Judge of the state's Southwestern Judicial Circuit, political newcomer Jimmie Brown takes the high road.

"I'm not going to make comments about him or the way he conducts court," Brown said of incumbent Judge Rucker Smith. "I'm just going to say I think I'll do a better job."

Brown, a native of Cusseta who grew up working in his father's bait and tackle shop, has practiced law in Southwest Georgia for 25 years. He is currently the managing partner of Brown & Scoccimaro P.C., for whom he represents clients in both state and federal courts.

"Like most folks, I sit around with my friends and drink coffee in the mornings and complain about the things that are going on," Brown said Tuesday. "Usually, no one does anything about them, but I decided it was time for me to do something.

"I've been considering running for a number of years, but it wasn't 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 and his longtime partner, Ralph Scoccimaro, have worked together since 1985, and Scoccimaro says his loss would be the Southwestern Judicial Circuit's gain.

"As an associate judge (in Albany Municipal Court), I am not supposed to endorse candidates," Scoccimaro said. "But I can tell you about my partner. Jimmie is a great partner; he's like a brother to me. He's at a point in his career where he is ready to take the next step, and like a son or a brother, you want him to continue to grow and to do well.

"I will say that Jimmie would make a great judge. He's super bright – cerebral might be the best way to describe him – and he's one of the most ethical persons I know. He's certainly the kind of gentle, deliberate person who is perfectly suited for a judgeship."

Unable to afford college after high school, Brown joined the military at age 17 and served with the 82nd Airborne Division as an infantry paratrooper in the mid-1970s. Using the G.I. Bill, he earned a bachelor's degree in business Administration at Georgia Southwestern College and later a law degree from Mercer University.

He and his family – wife Tina, daughters Candi and Leslie, and sons Keith and Rusty – are members of First Baptist Church Leesburg, where Jimmie Brown is a trustee. he is also a member of the American Legion, the Dougherty and Lee County Law Library Boards and the Lee County Indigent Defense Committee.

Brown says his background allows him to better serve clients from all walks of life.

"People assume that just because you're a lawyer, you grew up wealthy," he said. "That's certainly not the case with me, and over the years, I've been able to appreciate people's circumstances from all perspectives. I think that will allow me to be a better judge.

"I also believe my wider spectrum of experiences allows me to look at the judicial system from a fresh perspective. I believe there are tools – such as a pretrial intervention program – that will allow me to straighten out the court calendar, which is overloaded. "

Persons interested in learning more about Brown and his campaign may log onto the Web site www.votejimmiebrown.com.

"A lot of the Southwestern circuit is rural area, and I'm virtually unknown in some of the counties," he said. "Running against an incumbent candidate, I didn't think it was enough to just put up signs that say 'Vote for Me.' I hope I can reach more people through the Web site."

Qualifying for the Superior Court judgeship is in June. The state's Southwestern Judicial Circuit includes Lee, Macon, Schley, Stewart, Sumter and Webster counties.

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