By Charles Duncan
Towns County Herald
cduncan.tch@windstream.net

February 29, 2012 - In a 51-word letter to Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, Senior Enotah Circuit Superior Court Judge David Barrett has retired from the bench, according to a retirement letter obtained by the Towns County Herald.

In what was almost as brief of a response, Gov. Deal accepted the letter from Judge Barrett, according to an acceptance letter obtained by the Towns County Herald.

Judge Barrett had come under fire for using his personal handgun as a rhetorical point during a joint bond/temporary restraining order hearing in Lumpkin County Superior Court on Feb. 22.

“Dear Governor Deal, please accept this as the announcement of my retirement as a Superior Court Judge effective March 1, 2012. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of the Enotah Judicial Circuit and the people of the State of Georgia, with regards, I remain, David E. Barrett.”

Gov. Deal responded:

“Dear Judge Barrett, thank you for the service you have rendered as a Superior Court Judge of the Enotah Circuit. I appreciate you apprising me of your resignation, effective March 1, 2012. Your resignation is hereby accepted. Sincerely, Nathan Deal.”

Judge Barrett’s retirement is effective at midnight Feb. 29.

Long-time Towns County Clerk of Superior Court Cecil Dye said it was a sad day for the justice system.

“The Judge is a No. 1 person of the highest integrity,” Dye said. “He’ll always be my friend. Nothing will ever change that; this definitely hasn’t changed that (referring to the pressure that led to Judge Barrett’s retirement).”

Dye said he had known Judge Barrett for 35 years. In that time, He’s worked with him 28 years. Dye was at the swearing in ceremony when Judge Barrett and Judge Hugh Stone were sworn in as the first judges of the Enotah Judicial Circuit in 1992.

Dye said that he didn’t feel that Judge Barrett had done anything wrong to tarnish his integrity.

“Judge Barrett was always willing to help anybody at any time,” Dye said. “He was a tremendous help to me when I first got elected as Clerk of Superior Court as a lawyer before he became a judge.

“When he became a judge in 1992, we remained friends,” Dye said. “I consider him one of my best friends. He can’t be replaced on the bench. There is probably a lot of other people who might have the knowledge of law that he knows, I doubt it, but if there are, Judge Barrett is still special.

“He’s probably the most intelligent man I’ve ever known,” Dye said. “It’s been sad ever since I heard about (the incident) on Monday. He’ll still be my friend; he’ll always be my friend. His integrity is still unblemished; he didn’t do anything that I thought he should have stepped down from the bench.”