[11/21/02]Supervisors now have until the end of the year to appoint a prosecutor to replace Johnny Price, chosen by voters Tuesday for a four-year term starting in January as Warren County Court and Youth Court judge.

At least one local attorney, Marcie Tanner Southerland, said she is hoping to get the job.

“I am going to actively seek that position,” Southerland said.

Southerland, 49, served three terms as northern district justice court judge and ran for District 54 representative against Chester Masterson in 1999. If chosen, she would be the first woman to work as a prosecutor since Vicki Roach Barnes, now a chancery judge, was an intern in the Warren County District Attorney’s office.

In private practice since 1996, Southerland said she especially wants to focus on youth court where she has worked before.

“I feel that there’s a real necessity for stability over there,” Southerland said, “especially, after everything that has happened this last year.”

District 1 Supervisor Michael Mayfield said the board will be accepting resumes from interested attorneys and will conduct interviews for the post.

“We haven’t discussed it yet, but we’re going to have to in the very near future,” Mayfield said.

He said Southerland has been the only person to approach the board about the appointment.

Price, 56, served as the county’s elected prosecuting attorney for 13 years. He swept Tuesday’s runoff with attorney Robert Arledge by polling nearly 80 percent of the vote.

His term as prosecutor was to end in December 2003, meaning the supervisors’ appointee, to keep the job, would need to file to run in the state election cycle next summer and fall.

The part-time position pays $37,343.

Price spent much of the day Wednesday picking up campaign signs and said he is looking forward to his new position. Moving to the other side of the bench could be a little tricky for Price who may have to recuse himself from some criminal cases he has been working to prosecute.

“It’ll be on a case by case basis,” Price said.

Price ran in a field of five candidates including incumbent Gerald Hosemann, 50, who faced opposition for the first time since 1986.

Hosemann had been suspended from office for three months earlier this year by the state Supreme Court while a felony assault indictment was pending. He was returned to the bench after he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor disturbing the peace.

Matters heard in county court can be civil or criminal, involving any claim up to $75,000. County court judges may also handle certain non-capital felony cases transferred from circuit court. Youth court hears juvenile matters including delinquency, abuse and neglect of those under 18, and its proceedings are confidential.