Now Presiding

Flanders (’76) serves as a superior court judge for Georgia’s four-county Dublin Circuit. As a student, he strongly considered pursuing a Ph.D. and a career teaching in higher education, but his decision instead to enter the practice of law didn’t signal the end of his love for history.

That’s because history and the law are broadly intermingled, Flanders said, with the law based on history and precedent.

After completing his legal training and three years in the U. S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Flanders came home and established a successful private practice in his hometown. In 1996, he was chosen by then-Gov. Zell Miller to fill an unexpired term as superior court judge.

Citizens have re-elected him four times.

Born in Dublin and raised on his parents’ Laurens County farm, the judge enjoyed what he described as “a great childhood” in a rural setting: horses, livestock, friendly people and dirt roads. “It was a good place to be,” he said. “The school that I went to, East Laurens, was not really large. I guess we had about 110 or so in our graduating class. It was just a good size.”

Given his love of history, what ultimately led him to practice law? “I don’t think I could pinpoint one thing,” said Flanders. In part, he said, it was law’s relationship to history. “Another was that the law is unique in that it opens up a broad spectrum of opportunities,” he said. “There are so many things you can do with a law degree that keep your options open. I knew I wanted to stay in the South and to be part of a smaller town culture. I felt like the law would be a good way of being able to do that.”

If being a judge is prestigious, it’s also challenging and can carry a heavy burden of responsibility. Cases before Judge Flanders range from probation hearings to murder trials. “It’s interesting because you get the broadest spectrum of life. I do wonder sometimes … Why am I making these kinds of decisions that affect people’s lives in such fundamental ways? The fact is, somebody has to do it for there to be a civilized society. It impresses on me the importance of it, the gravity of it, and the care that you need to take – keeping faith that you will reach a decision that, hopefully, is just,” he said. “And, understanding that seldom is anyone happy and never is everyone happy with your decision. That’s just the nature of it.”

Serving as president of Dublin Rotary Club and active in his church, Flanders still revels in the life of his hometown. “Just being involved in the community,” he said. “That’s the beauty of living in a smaller town.”