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Salter seeking re-election

• Dougherty County State Court Judge John F. Salter seeks re-election.

Barbara Rivera Holmes

ALBANY — Were it not for white-collar crime and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it's hard to say if Albany native John F. Salter would have studied law.

But as it were, Salter's dream was to become an FBI agent, and when he was growing up, he said, the agency's focus was on white-collar corruption.

"Back then, you got into the FBI by studying law or accounting," Salter, 57, said recently. "I went to law school, but I also took any tax class that I could take."

The FBI gig didn't work out; in fact, it never took off.

What did grow was Salter's law career, which spanned nearly 18 ears in private practice and almost 16 years of public service as a judge.

Salter this fall will seek his fifth four-year term to Dougherty County State Court.

"Being a judge and running for election is difficult," he said," because I don't have anything that I can promise anybody except dedicated service.

"You can't promise any public police changes; that's the legislature. You can't promise ... any persuasion on the civil side," he said. "It's hard to have a cornucopia of promises that you can pander."

What he can do is promote his record.

"It says that I have a consistent record," he said. "I have never been revised in a criminal case in 15 years. ... I make good judgments on the bench.

"Whenever the (Georgia) Supreme Court has called upon me," he said, "I've been willing to serve."

In 2005-06, Salter served as president of the Council of State Court Judges.

"That to me was a higher honor," said Salter, who added that he also is an instructor to new judges and participate in the new judge orientation seminar in Athens.

As judge in a state court, Salter's cases on the civil side include products liability and medical and professional malpractice. He said there are 1,000-1,400 civil filings per year.

He also deals with 14,000-16,000 misdemeanor filings annually, including grievances such as driving under the influence. On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, he takes pleas at the Dougherty County jail.

"This morning I had 25-35 pleas," Salter said Friday. "It just requires a large amount of time to be on the bench physically."

Despite the demand, Salter remains committed to serving.

"I have always, since the first days of law school, enjoyed reading law," he said. "It's an enjoyable pursuit. ... I enjoy the intellectual stimulation of reading the law."

Fall 2008 won't be Salter's last bid for re-election, he hopes.

"My life plan can change at the end of any electoral cycle," he said, "but my plan is to stay another eight years.

"I have been honored wile a state court judge."

Salter began his education at then Albany Junior College and in 1972 graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia. In 1975, he graduated cum laude from the UGA School of Law.

Salter was in private practice from June 1975-December 1992, and began his judgeship in January 1993.

He is married to Marie Salter, a medial specialist in the Dougherty County School System, and has three children.

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