COUNTY — Pickens County probate judge Kathy Patterson Zorn has announced her candidacy for another term.

Zorn worked in the probate court for 18 years before her election in 2002. She is a lifelong resident of Pickens County, living on the same parcel of land her entire life. She graduated from Furman University with a double major in business and accounting. She is a member of both the National College of Probate Judges and the South Carolina Association of Probate Judges, where she served as secretary/treasurer for four years.

Zorn is a former member of the Easley Business and Professional Women and the South Carolina Parliamentarian Society. A member of Holy Cross Catholic church in Pickens since a child, she serves on the Parish Council and was a former Sunday school teacher and Catholic youth Advisor. In 2004, she was awarded the South Carolina “Woman of Accomplishment.”

Since her election in 2002, all estate records in probate court have been imaged for safety and convenience. Additionally, all probate forms are available online, but are still given out along with an explanation to anyone that comes in personally. Zorn developed information about probate and frequently asked questions to place on the Pickens County website. She had a portion of the court room delegated to a conference room so families could talk to their attorneys privately. Although not required nor commonly practiced by most judges, Zorn still feels the importance of meeting with all families that are being appointed informally on estates without an attorney.

In announcing her candidacy, Zorn wants the people of Pickens County to know that she has enjoyed working with the public all of her life and asks them to allow her to continue to serve because of her compassion, character, and commitment.