To celebrate Women’s History Month in 2024, we wanted to celebrate judges in each class of court, along with a judge who came before them, judges who have mentored them, or a first that they themselves achieved.
Supreme Court of Georgia Justices Sarah Hawkins Warren, Carla Wong McMillian, Shawn Ellen LaGrua, Verda M. Colvin in front of portraits of former Chief Justices Leah Ward Sears and Carol W. Hunstein. Justice Sears was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia, Justice Hunstein the second.
From the Court of Appeals of Georgia, Chief Judge Amanda H. Mercier, Presiding Judge Sara Doyle, Presiding Judge Yvette M. Miller, and Judge Elizabeth Gobeil in front of a portrait of Judge Dorothy Beasley. Judge Beasley was the first woman appointed to the Court of Appeals.
Cobb County Superior Court Judge Anne Harris standing beside a portrait of Judge Dorothy Robinson, the first woman judge for a court of record in Georgia.
Rockdale County’s women judges: Superior Court Judge Nancy Bills; Juvenile Court Judge Maureen Wood; Chief Magistrate Court Judge Phinia Aten; and former Probate Court Judge Lillis Brown.
Barrow County’s women judges: Probate Judge Tammy Brown; Chief Magistrate Judge Caroline Evans: Magistrate Judge Monica Durden; Magistrate Judge Jamie Crowe and Juvenile Judge Nancy Ragsdale.
DeKalb Superior Court Judge Shondeana Morris by a Mercer University School of Law portrait of her mentor, Judge M. Yvette Miller, the first Black woman appointed to Court of Appeals of Georgia.
Judge Amanda Heath, the first African American woman to be elected to the Superior Court bench of the Augusta Judicial Circuit in its 152-year history.
Chief Judge Cindy Morris of the Conasauga Judicial Circuit. She is the first woman for her circuit to serve the Superior Court bench and as Chief Judge.
Judge Holly W. Veal, the first woman Superior Court Judge in Henry County.
Douglas County’s women judges: Superior Court Judges Deah Warren and Cynthia Adams. Judge Adams was the 1st women to serve on the Douglas County State and Superior Court bench.
Judge R. Violet Bennett, the first woman State Court Judge in Wayne County.
Bulloch County Chief Magistrate Court Judge Karen Riggs Jones (left) holding a portrait of Judge June Braswell, Bulloch’s Chief Magistrate from 2000 to 2024, and Magistrate Court Judge Lynn Sapp paying tribute to Judge Billy Joe Deal, Bulloch’s Chief Magistrate from 1985 to 2000.
Judge Danielle McRae, the first woman Probate Court Judge in Upson County.
Judge Jenny Nguyen, the first Vietnamese-American woman to serve as a Municipal Court Judge in the State of Georgia.
Judge Chimere Chisolm Trimble, who was the first woman Municipal Court Judge for the City of Fort Valley.