Greenville County Probate Judge Debora Faulkner

Judge Debora A. Faulkner was first elected Greenville County Probate Judge in 1998 and presently is serving her third term. She graduated with honors from the University of South Carolina and from the USC School of Law, and practiced law for 13 years before her election as Probate Judge. Greenville County is the most populous county in the state with nearly 400,000 residents. At some point, Probate Court becomes front and center touching more Greenville County residents that any other part of the court system. In an effort to increase efficiency and customer service, Judge Faulkner established the Courtroom to Classroom program, which offers free classes that give people the educational tools to start the probate process on their own, and to demystify the procedural aspects of the court. In addition to numerous customer service awards for the Courtroom to Classroom program, Judge Faulkner received the Scales of Justice Award from the National Association of Legal Staff Professionals for her dedication to excellence and commitment to Greenville County citizens. In 2005, The National College of Probate judges voted her website as one of the Top Ten probate websites. In this video, Judge Faulkner talks about her commitment to customer service and her desire to help those at a time when they are grieving and most vulnerable. She also reveals one of the more interesting roles of the Greenville County Probate Judge, being the custodian of the will of Joseph Jefferson Jackson AKA Shoeless Joe Jackson. A certified copy of the will hangs in Judge Faulkner's office. The will is thought to be one of only two times, or perhaps the only time, Joe Jackson signed his name. Because Jackson was illiterate, he typically used an X as his signature.