Colquitt County Probate Judge Wes Lewis, right, congratulates Matt Littleton after swearing him in as Colquitt County’s chief magistrate judge.

MOULTRIE — Matthew “Matt” Littleton has been appointed by the Superior Court Judges of the Southern Judicial Circuit of Georgia to become the Chief Magistrate Judge of Colquitt County.

Littleton will fill the unexpired term of J.J. McMillan, who resigned the position effective July 31.

Littleton grew up in Colquitt County and is a 1988 graduate of Colquitt County High School. He graduated from Valdosta State University with a BS degree in criminal justice and later obtained a master’s degree in public administration from Columbus State University. He has over 30 years of law enforcement experience and worked with the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office for four years.

He left the Sheriff’s Office and worked in state law enforcement for the next 26 years where he obtained the rank of Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Revenue Alcohol and Tobacco division. While at DOR he supervised agents and staff who covered 46 counties in South and Middle Georgia.

After leaving state law enforcement he returned to the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office where he worked briefly at the rank of lieutenant over the Training Division. Littleton stated that he is one of the few who had the privilege of working for both Sheriff Howells.

Littleton stated that he is proud of his career in public service and is very excited about the opportunity and challenge of being the next chief magistrate judge where he can continue to serve the citizens of Colquitt County.

He and his wife Lara, a social worker with the Colquitt County School System have two sons and a daughter. Ryan lives in New York, and Alex and wife Christine live in Birmingham, Ala. Their daughter, Geydi, is currently in middle school. They attend and are active at First Baptist Church of Moultrie.