On Sunday, Jan. 13, at 3 p.m. Kirk Day was officially sworn in as Cherokee County’s Probate Judge at the County Courthouse as a packed house looked on.

Tim Burgess, the County Administrator addressed the crowd and welcomed everyone to the official swearing in ceremony. He then recognized all the local officials who were in attendance. Keith Day, brother and pastor of Believer’s Fellowship Church in Centre, was invited to give the invocation. Jerry Frye a Veteran of the U.S. Air Force led the exuberant crowd in the pledge of allegiance.

Chief Justice of the State of Alabama, the Honorable Judge Roy Moore, was introduced by Burgess. Judge Moore stated he felt at home here because of knowing so many of the people in leadership.

Moore spoke on how he and Judge Day were both graduates of the West Point Military Academy.

He spoke of how the basis for being a good judge was found in the Holy Scriptures such as “And I charge your judges at that time, saying, hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s; and the cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me, and I will hear it.” Deuteronomy 1:16-17. Judge Moore also shared the Cadet Prayer.

Chief Justice Moore then asked Probate Judge Day to step forward along with his parents, Wayne and Barbara Day to participate in the swearing in ceremony. Day was asked to place his left hand on the Bible and raise his right hand and solemnly swear to support the constitution of the United States and the state of Alabama as Probate Judge of Cherokee County to the best of his ability.

Moore then proceeded to do a robing ceremony. It’s simply when one judge places another robe on the newly elected. He then announced to the crowd our new probate judge for Cherokee County……Kirk Day.

Day spoke to Moore and thanked him for coming and making this a special day for him. He then turned and greeted the crowd and said first of all he would like to thank God for allowing him the opportunity to be where he is today. Family, friends, supporters, and elected officials were also thanked by Day. He then spoke of his first meeting with Judge Moore and the impact it had on his life. Day spoke of the potential of Cherokee County to become an even greater community with a bright future, a future for our children to stay in Cherokee County and not have to move away. He asked for help to do the right things for Cherokee County. Day challenged “if you don’t agree with a position but yet you get to the point because of politics maybe that you use half-truths and falsehoods to muddy the water, then shame on you. If I don’t adhere to what I learned at West Point and to treat everyone equally and to hear everyone out and seek the Lord’s judgment, well then shame on me, but if we let politics get in the way of doing what’s best for this county and for the decisions we make, then shame on all of us.” Day then gave tribute to exiting Probate Judge Melvin Salter for his years of service and his insight shared.

At the end of the ceremony everyone was invited to a reception by Tim Burgess at the Administration Building. The ceremony was concluded in prayer by Max Wynn.