Many people will soon raise their right hands and swear an oath in the presence of District Judge Steven Curtis in the years to come, but it was Curtis taking an oath in the courtroom Monday morning.

Retiring District Judge William “Bill” Hightower led Curtis in taking the Oath of Office in the main courtroom of the Pike County Courthouse Monday in front of Curtis’ friends, family, colleagues and voters.

The oath was a ceremonial transfer of the seat from Hightower, who served in the role for the past 42 years, to Curtis, who was officially elected in November to become the newest district judge.

“I want to thank my parents, wife and kids for standing by me and all the local judges, specifically judge Hightower for all the wealth of experience he’s given me and all he’s taught me as a lawyer,” Curtis said. “It’s very humbling to see that many people turn out to be there to support me. I’m very appreciative to the people of Pike County to trust in me to serve as their district judge.”

Curtis was chosen as the Republican nominee in the Republican primary runoff on Tuesday, June 5, 2018, winning the race against fellow Troy attorney January “Jana” Blair Ellis. Virginia Green Nowling, another local attorney, also ran for the seat and was eliminated in the primary. Curtis faced no Democrat opposition and was formally elected after the general election.

Curtis said it is a great honor to be able to serve in the role.

“I’ve practiced in district court a whole lot in my years of practicing law,” Curtis said. “It touches a lot of different facets of people’s lives; it deals with children, criminal cases, civil cases, child support. There’s a wide gamut of different people that you see and I think everyone deserves to have a fair judge sitting before them. That’s what I will to strive to be.”

Curtis officially became the new district judge when the clock struck midnight Tuesday and will now fulfill all the duties of the seat.