By Ivory Riner

Staff Writer

New faces were welcomed to the courthouse Friday afternoon at a swearing-in ceremony for elected officials.

General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Lee Bowles, who ran unopposed for an eight-year term, was sworn in by her father Walter Bussart.

Bussart then swore in his former law partner, Barbara Medley, who is the new Lewisburg City Judge.

Bowles swore in the new Circuit Court Clerk, Courtney Boatright.

In her first official duty, Boatright then swore in her Deputy Clerks Patty Fagan, Ronda Humphrey, Stephanie White, Donna Poarch, Betsey Moyers, and Deanna Read.

Bowles succeeded Judge Steve Bowden in October 2011, chosen by a vote of the County Commission. Bowden, who had been the judge for almost 34 years, resigned from the position when he had to choose between that and his private law practice. A state law demands that counties over a certain population have a full-time General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge. In August 2012, Bowles campaigned for, and won, her seat on the bench for what would have been the last two years of Bowden's term. Now Bowles starts a full term of her own.

Medley was one of the applicants for Circuit Court Judge when Robert Crigler resigned the seat in May 2013. She -- and three others -- lost out to Forest A. Durard Jr. who was appointed, and has now been elected, to that judgeship. Brooke Grubb, who lost the election for Circuit Court judge to Durard, was also an applicant at that time.