The chief magistrate court judge in Rabun County has resigned amid an investigation by Georgia's judicial watchdog group.

Lawrence "Rocky" Ford submitted his resignation on Tuesday. Documents filed by the Judicial Qualifications Commission said it began investigating Ford after it received complaints that the judge failed to follow appropriate criminal procedure.

He is the fourth judge from the Mountain Judicial Circuit to step down in recent years amid investigations by the commission. Three other judges stepped down from the circuit in 2010 after the commission launched an investigation.

Tags: judge, Rabun County, Resignation, Lawrence