ALBANY, GA -- Superior Court Judge J. Richard Porter has been appointed to hear Lorenzo Heard's suit against the Dougherty County Board of Elections.

Heard claims that he was wrongly denied a spot as an independent to run for the school board's at-large seat against Democratic nominee Lane Price.

South Georgia Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Harry Aultman appointed Porter to hear the case after all three judges, Stephen Gross, Willie Lockett and Denise Marshall voluntarily recused themselves.