Pythias “Pete” Temesgen is a Judge of the State Court of Muscogee County in Columbus, Georgia. Previously, he was an attorney practicing at Huff Powell Bailey, LLC, a firm recognized for its significant trial work in complex civil litigation. While in private practice, he also practiced criminal defense in the Middle District of Georgia. Prior to these experiences, Judge Temesgen was an assistant district attorney in Columbus, Georgia. Earlier in his career, he was also a law clerk to the Honorable Benjamin Richardson and Honorable John Allen. Judge Temesgen earned his law degree from Boston University School of Law, where he focused on litigation and conflict resolution. Judge Temesgen obtained his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, where he studied at the School of Public and International Affairs.

Judge Temesgen remains an active member of the Columbus community, having served in leadership roles with the Young Lawyer's Division of the Columbus Bar Association and the Springer Opera House, the State Theatre of Georgia. He was also the mayoral appointee of the Public Safety Advisory Commission. Previously, he was the president of the Fountain City Bar Association. Judge Temesgen is also a proud member of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2019. Judge Temesgen and his wife, Natalia Temesgen, a playwright, screenwriter, and professor of English, live in Columbus, with their two children, Aria and Paul.

Art Smith is a Columbus native who was educated in the public schools and graduated from Columbus High School in 1973. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Columbus College (now known as CSU). He earned his law degree from Samford University's Cumberland School of Law and later obtained an L.L.M. in Taxation in 2005 at the University of Alabama School of Law.

Judge Smith practiced as a private attorney from 1979-1989 in a general practice law firm in Columbus. In 1989, he joined the Legal Division at AFLAC and handled litigation and arbitration throughout the United States. He also served as a JAG Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves. He has been married to his wife Sue for 40 years, and they have two grown daughters, a son-in-law, and two grandchildren, William Arthur and Watford Lee.

He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Columbus Inns of Court (President 2014-2015), and the Columbus Bar Association. He is also an active member of St. Luke United Methodist Church and the Kiwanis Club of Columbus and serves on several community boards.

In December of 2011, he was sworn in by Governor Nathan Deal to serve as Judge of the Superior Courts of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. On July 31, 2012, he was elected by the citizens of the circuit to serve as judge for a full four-year term, beginning January 1, 2013. Was re-elected without opposition in 2016 and 2020.

Judge Smith is currently the President of the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia and serves as a member of the Judicial Council which is the governing Board of all classes of Georgia Courts.

He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Coweta Falls Chapter. His revolutionary ancestor is Cary Cox.
On January 1, 2023, he is also designated the Chief Superior Court Judge of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit.

Judge D'Antonio took office as Muscogee County's elected Probate Judge on January 1, 2013. Prior to taking office, since January 2006, he worked in the Probate Court as the Hearing Officer / Chief Clerk and later as Associate Judge.

Judge D'Antonio received his Bachelor's Degree in Political Economy from Tulane University. He graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1991 and was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia that year.

Judge D'Antonio is married to Catherine Dietrich D'Antonio and they have two children, Kate and Jack, and a significant number of dogs and cats.

Chief Judge/Senior Recorder

David was born and raised in Columbus, Georgia. He attended St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic school. He then attended Columbus State University and received a full ROTC Scholarship to Mercer University. He graduated cum laude from Mercer University and was a Distinguished Military Graduate, ranking in the top 20 percent of Army ROTC graduates nationwide. The Army granted David an educational delay to attend law school. He attended and graduated from Mercer University School of Law with a Juris Doctorate degree.

David has 34 years of experience in criminal and civil litigation He served in the U.S. Army as a Captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Thereafter, he served as a Senior Assistant Solicitor General (and was selected as Assistant Solicitor General of the Year for the State of Georgia), Senior Associate at the law firm of Carlock, Copeland, Semler & Stair LLP, and a Senior Assistant District Attorney. He has served our community for over 20 years as a prosecutor, most recently serving as the Chief Assistant Solicitor General of Muscogee County. He is a member of the Georgia and Alabama State Bars and a member of the Columbus Bar Association. He is the current Vice President of the Columbus Bar Association; Trustee of the Columbus Lawyer’s Club Educational Foundation; Member of the Rotary Club of Columbus; Mentor for new lawyers (appointed by the Supreme Court of Georgia); Master of the Bench, Columbus Inns of Court. David is a graduate of Leadership Columbus, the Leadership Development Program for the Columbus Consolidated Government, the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council Leadership Challenge, and has attended the National District Attorneys’ Association’s Career Prosecutor’s Executive Course. He has taught numerous legal courses for both prosecutors and law enforcement statewide. He currently serves as a board member on the New Horizons Community Service Board of Directors and has previously served as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the New Horizons Board of Directors; Executive Board Member of the Leadership Development Program for the Columbus Consolidated Government; past Committee Chair, Boy Scout Troop 1; past Chairman of the Stewardship Council and past Member of the Parish Council at St. Anne Catholic Church.

He is married to his wife, Katrina, and they have six adult children in their blended family, and one grandchild. David is dedicated to serving the public and maintaining the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in our justice system.

Bobby graduated from Hardaway High School in 1967, and then earned an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice, B.S., and a post-graduate degree in Education, M.S. both at Columbus University. He graduated with a J.D. from Woodrow Wilson Law School in 1979.

He was a law detective with the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office and taught law as a professor of criminal justice at Southern Union State College and was Director of the Regional Police Academy. He has been in law practice since 1979.

In addition to his service enforcing the law, he was a city councilor for twelve (12) years on the Columbus City Council and was elected for two consecutive terms as the Mayor of Columbus, as well as, Public Safety Director of the city.

He has been honored by many organizations earning the title "The People's Advocate". He was also chosen as one of only ten elected officials in the nation and the only one from Georgia to represent the United States of America in a governmental exchange program with Australia. Bobby was honored as the first American citizen to be named "Ambassador of Goodwill" for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, WHINSEC, which was formerly known as the School of Americas. In 2002, Bobby was personally presented the "Order of Saint Maurice" by General Paul Eaton, Commander of Fort Benning.

Andy Prather was born in and is a lifelong resident of Columbus, Georgia. He was in private law practice from 1977-1979, assistant solicitor 1980-1982, solicitor 1983-1993, and has been a state court judge since 1994. He has served as Chief Judge of the court since 1996. He was the president of the Solicitors Association of Georgia in 1990, and president of the Columbus Younger Lawyers Club in 1988.

Judge David A. Siegel was appointed as the Associated Judge of the Muscogee County Probate Court in November 2017. Prior to taking office, he was in private practice with Page, Scrantom, Sprouse, Tucker & Ford, P.C. for over 30 years focusing on civil litigation.

Judge Siegel graduated cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree in biology from Wake Forest University. He graduated from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 1986 and was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia that year. He later served as an adjunct professor of law at his alma mater for 10 years.

Judge Siegel is an automobile enthusiast.

Susan L Henderson was in 1996 graduate of Columbus State University with a Bachelor of Science and Political Science. She's a 1999 graduate of Walter F George School of Law, Mercer University, with the Jurist Doctor degree. Upon graduation from Mercer, Susan was selected out of her class of travel the country recruiting potential law students at law school forums.

In 2000, Susan came back home to Columbus and began working at the Office of the District Attorney, specializing in prosecuting crimes against children. Susan remained in that office until 2004, when she made the move to the Office the Solicitor General, where she prosecuted domestic violence cases. In 2006, Susan ventured out into private practice, specializing in criminal defense.

Between 2002- 2006, Susan was an adjunct professor at Columbus State University, teaching criminal law and criminal procedure. Between 2015- 2020, Susan served as County Attorney for the Meriwether County Board of Commissioners.