The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia has appointed Amy Helmick to take over its open magistrate judge seat beginning July 1, the court announced Feb. 16 in a press release. She will be the first female U.S. magistrate judge out of the Middle District of Georgia.

Helmick is currently an assistant U.S. attorney and has served as the Columbus branch chief for the Middle District U.S. Attorney’s Office since July 2022. She will succeed retiring Magistrate Judge Stephen Hyles, who announced he will leave the seat this June.