BARBOUR – BULLOCK COUNTY: For decades the “only”Circuit Court Judge in Barbour and Bullock County, Bert Smithhart, has protected bondsman James Thomas.
The only Circuit Judge, Bert Smithhart, has denied any other bondsman from operating in Barbour County but James Thomas Bonding. He has sit on any paperwork filed by someone else or bogus reasons why no other bondsman could open in Barbour County.
And then orders for bonds would be written “professional surety required”. This meant you had to use and pay James Thomas whatever he charged. Citizens were not allowed property bonds with orders written “professional surety required”.
A person is considered innocent until proven guilty and under most charges are allowed a reasonable bond. But Circuit Court Judge Bert Smithhart has allowed basic extortion of people that you paid what James Thomas charged or you remained in jail.
Today Eufaula Police Department arrested, around noon, that bondsman, James Thomas. The charges, as RSN understands, were for domestic violence and possession of cocaine.
Actions observed over the years of the only Circuit Court Judge in Barbour and Bullock County, RSN believes Bert Smithhart is not clean and honest. That is my opinion in what we have observed and been told.
Sources have said they will be filing judicial ethics complaints against Circuit Court Judge Bert Smithhart in the immediate future. In review of court filings over the last several years the records do not show honesty.
