Augusta commission passes resolution to support county judicial split

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Augusta Commission has passed a resolution to support Columbia County in their wish to separate from the judicial circuit.

Columbia County first announced the desire to split back in December of 2020. Officials claimed their county is one of the largest in Georgia without its own circuit, and they could save $1 million a year by splitting.

In a meeting last Tuesday, Augusta city leaders unanimously voice to support Columbia County, with District 6 Commissioner Ben Hasan saying “..it’s something that another county wants that we’re going to honor, respect their wishes, and give them a chance to recalibrate.”

After evaluating costs and struggles that could come from the split, the resolution below was crafted and approved.

The commission also expressed a desire to keep Burke and Richmond County together.