Capt. Jim Ruth oversees the Judicial Services Division of the Bradley County Sheriff's Office.

Judicial Services operates at the Bradley County Courthouse, Bradley County Judicial Complex and the Bradley County Juvenile Center. This Division monitors the security of 13 different courts, including ...

• Criminal Court 1 and Criminal Adult Drug Court are presided over by Judge Carroll Ross.
• Criminal Court 2 is presided over by Judge Amy Reedy.
• General Sessions Court is presided over by Judge Sheridan Randolph.
• Circuit Court 1 is presided over by Judge John Haglar.
• Circuit Court 2 is presided over by Judge Larry Puckett.
• Chancery Court is presided over by Judge Jerri Bryant.
• Judge Daniel Swafford presides over four courts, including Juvenile/Sessions Court, Environmental Court, Family Court and Juvenile Drug Court. When he cannot be present himself, he is assisted by attorneys who serve as mediators on his behalf. The mediating attorneys are Sally Love, Kirk Benson, Steve Crump and Rod Miller. Attorney Sandra Donaghy is Judge Swafford’s mediator in Juvenile Drug Court.
• Child Support Court is presided over by Judge Carl Colloms.

Lastly, the County Commission meetings are actually considered another court ~ County Court ~ and is chaired by Commissioner Michael Plumley.

All totaled that is 13 courts serviced by 16 deputies from the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office. These deputies provide safety in and around the court areas and are responsible for screening people entering the facilities with xray machines and walk-through metal detectors to ensure weapons or contraband are not brought into the courtrooms. They also respond to help alarms located in various offices inside the courthouse, as well as the Judicial Complex. Certain deputies of the Judicial Services Division are assigned to work with specific judges and are responsible for opening court and managing the courtroom, often with the assistance of other deputies.

The Judicial Services Division also serves civil and criminal process, and when court is not in session, those assigned to court security help serve the evergrowing number of civil and criminal judicial documents. Additionally, they are responsible for collecting unpaid business, property, and personal property taxes, which can extend to seizures mandated by the court. In some cases, the Judicial Services Division is directed to remove people from residences after the court has returned possession of the property to the landlord or mortgage company. In certain extreme custody cases, these deputies may also have to remove children from parents or custodial guardians for their own safety.

The deputies of the Judicial Services Division are truly the unsung heroes of Bradley County’s judicial system.