Magistrate Court

Judge Baxter C. Howell was appointed as a Dougherty County Magistrate on November 1, 1991 and has been the Chief Magistrate for Dougherty County since January l, 1997.

Howell is a double dog graduate of the University of Georgia and the University of Georgia Law School. He obtained his Master’s in Business Administration from Valdosta State University.

While in service, he graduated from the Armor Basic Course, the Advanced Infantry Course, the Army Command and General Staff Course, and the Air Force War College. During the Vietnam War, he was stationed with the 6th Armored Cavalry Squadron at Fort Meade, Maryland. He also served with HHC, 2/121 Inf (M), GAARNG located in Albany, GA, as well as HHC, 48th Inf Bde (M) in Macon, Ga. His last duty station was in Atlanta with the Headquarters for the Georgia Army National Guard.

While serving as a Magistrate for Dougherty County, Georgia, Howell was appointed to the Executive Committee for the Georgia Council of Magistrate Court Judges. He was also named Magistrate of the Year for the State of Georgia and has taught at Continuing Judicial Seminars for Georgia Magistrate Judges.

Judge Karin (“Kari”) A. Middleton was sworn in as a Magistrate Judge for Dougherty County on January 4, 2025. Middleton graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science. She then attended Georgia State University College of Law, graduating in 1995.

After beginning her law practice in Atlanta with the boutique firm of Bird, Ballard and Still, Middleton moved to Albany with her husband, a native of Albany, and their son in 2003. In Albany, Middleton opened a local office for Baudino Law Group. With experience in both State and Federal Courts, including appellate courts, Middleton led the Baudino Litigation Team during her tenure with the firm.

Middleton presently serves on Boards in Albany including the Phoebe Foundation Board (Chairperson 2020-Present) and Easter Seals of Southern Georgia (President 2015-2016). She is also an active member of the Charity League of Albany. She has formerly served on the Lily Pad Sane Board and Doublegate Country Club Board. Middleton is a 2007 graduate of Leadership Georgia and was recognized as Southwest Georgia’s 40 Under 40 in 2009 by the Albany Herald.

Middleton attends St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where she has served on the Vesty, Rector Search Committee and Finance Committee. She presently chairs the Personnel Committee for St. Paul’s. She and her husband, Faison, have two sons, Frank and Boles.

Judge Sallay M. Jusu 

Judge Sallay M. Jusu was sworn in as a Dougherty County Magistrate Judge on March 2, 2026. Jusu was born in Bo, Sierra Leone, West Africa. She migrated to the United States at an early age with her younger brother and grandmother to her parents who had already migrated to the United States at that time. Due to her fathers’ enlistment in the United States Navy, Jusu and her family moved across the United States until her family finally came to settle in Memphis, Tennessee.

She attended primary and secondary school and soon after moved to Knoxville, Tennessee where she obtained her undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in Interdisciplinary Studies and a minor in Political Science. Upon graduation, Ms. Jusu moved to Indiana where she served as an intern for the Indiana State Senate Democratic Caucus for Senators Sam Smith and Jean Breaux. Upon completion of her internship, Jusu attended Florida A&M University College of Law in Orlando, Florida where she obtained her Juris Doctorate in 2012.

Jusu moved to Albany, GA and served in the roles of Assistant District Attorney and Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney for the Dougherty County Judicial Circuit from 2017-2026. Jusu is a proud member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Albany Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc., Dougherty County Bar Association (Vice President 2021-2022; President 2022-2023); Local School Governance Team for Lincoln Elementary Magnet School, and Rotary Club on the Flint (initiating member) to name a few. Jusu attends Friendship Missionary Baptist Church with her three children.