Judge Barger has created a model court for the involuntary commitment process that includes a robust Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) program. AOT provides a 150-day continuum of care for treatment that includes individual patient oversight by a case manager, regularly scheduled treatment with a treating physician and therapist, twice monthly reporting to the Court for assessment and progress tracking, and engagement in community services and resources to support the patient. The first of its kind in Alabama, the program has received attention and recognition at the state and national level.

Frequently referred to as the “Adoption Judge”, Barger has created a model court for the processing and final determination of adoption cases. Adoption pleadings are treated with a priority over all other matters before the Court and “fast tracked” within the time constraints of the law to ensure a child is with his or her forever family as soon as reasonably possible. Barger is recognized for processing and completing adoptions in a manner that outpaces all other metro areas in the state. Since taking office in 2019, Judge Barger has completed more than 2,000 adoptions.

Since 2019 Barger has moved all records under his oversight, including case files, to a single secure online software platform that provides ease of access for attorneys, other legal professionals, and the community at large. The in-depth platform allows access to the great majority of records without ever having to contact the Court or visit us in person. In final testing stages and ready for launch in the last quarter of 2024, the platform will soon allow the legal community to file most pleadings electronically and to manage their work in assigned court cases through a secure portal.

Judge Barger has set the pace on elections management among Alabama’s counties. This includes the latest and most secure equipment and related technology, in-depth training and preparation of election workers, a dedicated elections website, state-of-the-art election results platform, and complete transparency in administration. Barger is frequently called upon to educate his counterparts and other elected officials throughout the state on elections administration. His efforts to deliver secure, transparent, and efficient elections to Madison County is regularly recognized at the state and national level.

In addition to detailed measures in all matters before the Court to ensure that the well-being and resources of our older, minor, and at-risk persons is protected, Judge Barger is committed to protecting you in other areas of Court operation. Due to the significant increase in mortgage and deed fraud being experienced in surrounding states and throughout the country, Judge Barger developed and launched the free online Property Notification System in 2023. The system is designed to alert a real property owner via email if a deed is filed in the Madison
County Probate Office that changes the listed owner’s name in Probate Court and Tax Assessor records. This notification system was made possible through strategic partnership with the Madison County Tax Assessor and has been lauded by the legal, development, real estate, and banking communities.

Oversight of financial resources under the Court’s oversight is critical. Judge Barger is committed to detailed, conservative, and careful financial management. The most recent audit by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts completed in December of 2023 included an in-depth review of more than $90,000,000.00 in receipts and disbursements. There were no findings and no recommendations AND those receipts and disbursements balanced to the penny.

In 2021 Judge Barger transferred all Probate Court operations to the Madison County Service Center. Located near the major hub of I-565 and Memorial Parkway, the facility offers ease of parking, general access, and state-of-the-art facilities for serving the community and administering the work of the Probate Court.

Completed in August 2024, Barger has opened a 26,000 square foot elections management facility and archive records center. The purchase of an existing structure and nearly four acres was made using resources saved within the Probate Court’s existing budget - requiring no additional taxpayer resources. This building provides 18,000 square feet of elections technology and equipment storage, staging areas for the intake and distribution of election materials, and provides space for Election Day management, security, and logistics operations. In the same building all historic records, county records, land records, and Court case files, are now held in a
single climate-controlled location and overseen by our on-site records analyst.

Judge Barger takes tremendous pride in being part of the team of professionals assembled in the Probate Court. Each and every member of the well-trained and professional team is committed to friendly, accessible, and knowledgeable customer service. The team in the Probate Court is continually recognized for their commitment to exemplary customer service. “Whatever it takes” is their motto when it comes to serving our community.