A local attorney has qualified to run against Hall County’s chief state court judge.

William I. "Sonny" Sykes filed his notice of candidacy this week to run against Chief Judge Charles S. Wynne, paying the $4,734 qualifying fee, according to Hall County Elections Office documents.

Sykes, 72, has a sole practitioner law office on Green Street. He is also one of six nominees named by the Judicial Nominating Commission for a newly created state court judgeship to be appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue.

Wynne, 56, has served on the state court bench since 2001, after running against and defeating David Burroughs in 2000. Wynne became chief judge of Hall County State Court when a second judgeship was created in 2003 and ran unopposed in 2004. Prior to serving as state court judge, Wynne was chief magistrate judge for Hall County.

The state court judge post is nonpartisan. All nonpartisan races are voted upon in the Nov. 4 general election. Only partisan races are voted on in the upcoming July 15 primary.

State court judges hear misdemeanor criminal cases and civil cases that are not under exclusive jurisdiction of superior court.

Qualifying to run for state court judge ended Friday. Hall County’s other incumbent state court judge, B.E. Roberts, faces no opposition.

Both seats will be on the Nov. 4 ballot in the general election.