A2J Committee Member Bios

Justice Verda M. Colvin,


Chair, Supreme Court of Georgia

Justice Verda M. Colvin was appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court by Governor Brian Kemp on July 29, 2021 after having been appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals by Governor Kemp on April 9, 2020. She is the first African-American female appointed by a Republican Governor. She previously served as a Superior Court Judge in the Macon Judicial Circuit which serves Macon Bibb, Crawford and Peach Counties having been appointed by Governor Nathan Deal on April 16, 2014.  Judge Colvin grew up in southwest Atlanta. She received her B.A. degree from Sweet Briar College in Virginia and her J.D. from University of Georgia School of Law.

Prior to her appointment, she was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of Georgia. Prior to her service with the federal government, she was an Assistant District Attorney in Clayton County, GA and an Assistant Solicitor in Athens in Clarke County. She also served as Assistant General Counsel at Clarke-Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. All of this service followed her private practice in Charlotte, NC.

Judge Colvin is committed to service professionally and personally. She is a member of the Macon Bar Association, GABWA (Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys), GAWL (Georgia Association of Women Lawyers), the Rotary-Downtown Club, Macon-Bibb Citizen Advocacy, Georgia Advocacy Advisory Committee, Sweet Briar College Board of Directors, Jack & Jill of America (Macon Chapter), and several Inn of Courts. She serves as Chair of Mount de Sales Board of Trustees and Co-chair of ONE MACON 2.0 as well. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Sweet Briar College, the Board of Trustees for Wesleyan College and Board of Middle Georgia Food Bank. Additionally, she has continually served on various committees in her role as a jurist.

She is the mother of two children Weston and Taylor. She is married to Nathaniel Walker with whom she shares two adult children, Nathan and Natalie.

Retired Judge William "Bill" P. Adams Esq.
State Bar of Georgia

Bill Adams is a 1977 graduate of Mercer Law School.  During his legal career, he was an Assistant US Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia and in private practice.  In 1998, he was elected Judge of the State Court of Bibb County and served in this capacity until his retirement in 2017.  In 2017, he helped start Middle Georgia Access to Justice Council with the mission of closing the justice gap in middle Georgia. He serves as President. He currently serves on the State Bar Access to Justice Committee and the Judicial Council Access to Justice Committee. Adams is Of Counsel to Adams Law Firm in Macon and is a registered mediator and arbitrator.

Judge Cynthia C. Adams
Accountability Court
Judge Of Douglas County

Judge Cynthia C. Adams has been serving as a Superior Court judge since 2017. She is the first female and first African American to serve as a judge in Douglas County on the state or superior court level. She was originally appointed in 2017 and has been re-elected twice to continue serving her community. As a teenager in 1993, Judge Adams was selected as an intern in the first class of the Atlanta Bar Association’s Summer Law Internship Program for high school students. Preparing to enter the 32nd year of this program, Judge Adams continues to serve as a mentor and an intern host.

In addition to her regular court docket, Judge Adams also presides over the Douglas County Mental Health Court and established the Parental Accountability Court. She is a graduate of Oakwood College (now Oakwood University) and the University of Georgia School of Law. She serves her community in several areas including as a 2017 graduate of Leadership Douglas, a member of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, Gate City Bar Association, Douglas County Bar Association, Douglas County Chamber of Commerce and Douglas County Rotary. She currently serves on the Judicial Council of Georgia Access to Justice Committee, Council of Accountability Court Judges Executive Committee, Council of Accountability Court Judges Standards and Certification Committee, Council of Accountability Court Judges Training Committee, and chairs the Council of Accountability Court Judges Special Treatment Committee.

Rachel S. Barnhard
Executive Director Georgia Bar Foundation

Rachel Barnhard is the Executive Director of the Georgia Bar Foundation (GBF). Before coming to the GBF, Rachel worked in healthcare, public safety, and public health for 25 years, with a focus on patient advocacy and ensuring community access to high quality care. She held roles in operations, education, and administration, served on numerous local, state, and national committees and boards, and was also involved in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) research and clinical trials. Rachel has provided patient care and executive leadership in daily operations as well as in numerous critical incidents, including public health threats, violence, mass/crowd events, & weather-related incidents. She has worked in urban, suburban, and rural Georgia communities, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked with the Georgia Department of Public Health to address hospital and EMS capacity and surge concerns statewide.

Rachel earned her B.A. in Germanic & Slavic Languages from the University of Georgia, with an emphasis on international trade and security. She specializes in operational leadership, program administration, advocacy & community outreach, legal and regulatory compliance, and contract execution and administration.

Roodgine D. Bray, Esq.
Haitian American Lawyers Association of Georgia

Roodgine D. Bray is a Partner with the Davis Bozeman Law Firm, PC. She leads the firm’s Litigation Team.  A native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Attorney Bray is fluent in Haitian Creole. She graduated from Clayton State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and earned her Juris Doctorate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Attorney Bray is a graduate of the State Bar of Georgia’s Young Lawyer’s Leadership Academy. She is a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA), the American Association for Justice (AAJ), and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA). She is the co-founder of the Haitian American Lawyers Association of Georgia (HALAGA).

Attorney Bray is married to U. S. Military Veteran, Earl Bray, and they are the proud parents to their daughters, Elise and Elisabeth. She serves on the Clayton State University Alumni Board. She is an active member of Springfield Baptist Church, the Covington Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, (CAAC), and the East-Suburban Atlanta Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc (ESAC).

Judge Leisa G. Blount
Probate Court Judge of
Dougherty County

Judge Leisa G. Blount has served as the Judge of the Probate Court of Dougherty County since 2020.  In a legal career spanning over 35 years, Judge Blount has practiced civil and criminal law.  She is admitted to practice law in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Georgia and before the United States Supreme Court. A native of Washington, D.C., Judge Blount holds a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Juris Doctorate from The George Washington University National Law Center in Washington, D.C.  Judge Blount is also a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College in Macon, Georgia.

Judge Blount started the first Public Defender’s Office in the Dougherty Judicial Circuit (Albany, GA) in 2004, and served there as the Chief Public Defender for 16 years.  As a criminal defense trial lawyer, Judge Blount typically represented clients who faced life imprisonment, and she consistently obtained acquittals in cases that were thought to be unwinnable. Judge Blount co-authored a book, titled “Grace Horse: The Redemption of a Teen Sentenced to Life,” about a teenager sentenced to life in prison. Judge Blount is a born-again follower of Jesus Christ.  She is married and lives with her husband and her two dogs on her “10-acre paradise” in Dougherty County.

Judge Sara Doyle
Vice-Chair
 Georgia Court of Appeals

Presiding Judge Sara Doyle has been a Judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals since January 1, 2009. From July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2017, Judge Doyle was the Court of Appeals’ Chief Judge where she was instrumental in implementing a historic jurisdiction shift of cases from the Supreme Court, the addition of a new fifth division adding three more judges to the Court, and funding and design of the new Nathan Deal Judicial Center. In addition to the A2J Committee and its predecessor, Judge Doyle has been actively involved with the Judicial Council/AOC chairing the Strategic Plan Implementation Committee and the Court Reporting Matters Committee, as well as sitting on the Commission on Dispute Resolution and the Next Generation Courts Commission.

Sharon Edenfield, Esq.
State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division

Ms. Edenfield has earned consistent top rankings from her peers as well as recognition from the National Trial Lawyers as a “Top 40 Under 40” and a “Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorney”. She has also been honored twice with the Signature Service Award from the State Bar of Georgia’s Young Lawyers Division, the only attorney who has been honored more than once for commitment to community service, as well as the organization’s Award of Achievement, along with various other awards throughout her career.

Judge Jana Edmondson-Cooper Esq.
Georgia Standing Committee on Interpreters

 Judge Jana J. Edmondson-Cooper, a liaison to the Judicial Council’s Standing Committee on Interpreters where she serves as an Advisory Member, is a full-time judge on the Magistrate Court of Cobb County. Known as the “People’s Court”, Cobb County Magistrate Court provides an easily accessible forum to resolve civil and criminal disputes for tens of thousands of litigants annually.  A career public servant, Judge Edmondson-Cooper is committed to increasing access, promoting equity, and working to ensure justice for all. Judge Edmondson-Cooper’s commitment and broad range of high achievement, innovation, vision, leadership, legal & community involvement have been recognized statewide and nationally. Prior to serving on the bench, Judge Edmondson-Cooper served a legal interpreter, a legal aid attorney, and a senior federal prosecutor litigating complex labor and employment enforcement matters on behalf of the U.S. Secretary of Labor.

Judge Belinda Edwards

Superior Court 
Judge of Atlanta Circuit

Judge Belinda E. Edwards (J.D. ’90) began her tenure as a Fulton County Superior Court Judge in January of 2017 having been elected in 2016. Prior to her election, she was with the firm of Hollowell Foster & Herring, focusing on mediation. Previously, Judge Edwards was Chief Judge of the Fulton County Juvenile Court, General Counsel for Morris Brown College, Senior Attorney for Atlanta Public Schools and Assistant City Attorney and Senior Financial Analyst for the City of Atlanta.

Terrica Ganzy, Esq.

Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys

Terrica Redfield Ganzy is the Southern Center for Human Rights’ (SCHR) Deputy Director, where she focuses on elevating SCHR’s mission, assisting the executive director with coordination of SCHR’s strategy and programs, developing strategic partnerships, cultivating donor relationships, and planning major fundraising events.

Mazie Lynn Guertin, Esq.
Executive Director 
Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer

Mazie Lynn Guertin is the Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech, she taught English as a Second Language in Split, Croatia before returning to the United States as an Operations Associate at a national financial planning firm. Her love of the law and desire to serve led her to Georgia State University where she earned a Juris Doctor and Master of Public Administration on her way to becoming a public defender. Mazie Lynn invested her litigation career in being a voice for those too often unheard: men and women accused of crimes ranging from petty shoplifting to capital murder.

Mazie Lynn is mamma to two young children and, for almost two decades, has lived in the under-resourced southside of the City of Atlanta believing that community transformation requires, in part, the long-term commitment of neighbors willing to give of themselves for the greater good. In addition to volunteering with her daughter’s Girl Scout troop Mazie Lynn also serves on the Board of Directors of Wesley International Academy.

Judge William “Bill” Hamrick

Georgia State-Wide Business Court

Judge Bill Hamrick was appointed by Governor Brian Kemp as Judge of the Georgia State-wide Business Court in September of 2022. Judge Hamrick served for ten years as a Superior Court Judge in the Coweta Judicial Circuit prior to his appointment to the Business Court. Judge Hamrick served in the Georgia State Senate for twelve years prior to his service as a Superior Court Judge. At the time of his appointment by Governor Nathan Deal to Superior Court, Judge Hamrick was serving as the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Georgia General Assembly. Judge Hamrick is a graduate of Auburn University and Georgia State University College of Law. He holds a Masters in Judicial Studies from the National Judicial College.

Tracy Johnson, Esq.
Executive Director

 Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution

Tracy Johnson is the Executive Director for the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution (GODR).  Tracy is well-known in dispute resolution and court communities as she is a registered mediator and previously served as the 6th District ADR Program Director and the Fulton County Superior Court Family Division Director. Tracy is a Past President of the Georgia Council of Court Administrators.

Kareemah Lewis, Esq.

Georgia Association for Women Lawyers

Attorney Kareemah Lewis is an outgoing legal professional who has a strong passion for public service. She is Senior Associate Counsel for MARTA where she serves in the litigation division. As a career litigator, Kareemah has extensive experience in both the civil and criminal sectors. After graduating from John Marshall Law School, she served as an Associate Attorney for A.B. Olmos & Associates, a domestic law firm specializing in custodial rights for undocumented parents residing in Georgia. Kareemah then went on to conquer the realm of criminal law serving first as a public defender in the City of Atlanta where she tried close to a hundred cases involving drug and violent offenses. Kareemah then transitioned to prosecution. As a prosecutor Kareemah represented the State of Georgia as an Assistant District Attorney in Paulding County and as an Assistant Solicitor General in Fulton County, where she tried cases involving illegal gun possession and domestic violence.

Kareemah now specializes in local and municipal government law. She has provided advice & counsel to many of the Metro Atlanta cities and municipalities. Her practice areas include employment law, premises liability, personal injury, and injunctive relief. She is presently President Elect of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, Board member of the Atlanta John Marshall Alumni Association and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.

Judge Bryan C. Ramos

Georgia Asian Pacific Bar Association

Bryan Ramos was appointed to the bench in July 2023 and serves as the Chief Judge for the Municipal Court of the City of Brookhaven, Georgia.  Judge Ramos has over 25 years of litigation experience in the State of Georgia.  He began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Judges George F. Nunn, Edward Lukemire, and L.A. “Buster” McConnell of the Houston Superior Court.

In 2005, he established his law firm representing injured employees in their workers’ compensation cases throughout Georgia.  Judge Ramos is also a registered neutral recognized by the Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution, and he holds the highest possible peer-rating for professional excellence and ethical standards as determined by Martindale Hubbell.   He is a graduate of the Florida State University, and he earned his law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.

Judge Brendon Shaw Rhodes

Magistrate Court Wilcox County

Judge Rhodes has served the people of Wilcox County as their magistrate judge since 2014 and probate judge since 2015, when the offices were combined. Shawn was born and raised on a family farm just north of Pitts, Georgia.  Shawn attended law school at the University of Georgia and graduated in 2007. After initially practicing law in Atlanta and Valdosta, Shawn returned home to in 2012, where he engaged in private practice. Shawn served as the President of the Council of Probate Court Judges in 2022-2023, and is currently serving as the Vice President of the Council of Magistrate Court Judges. He is proud to preside in an underserved area of Georgia and to assist both self-represented litigants and attorneys in seeking successful resolutions to their legal issues. 

Judge Pierce Hand Seitz

Gate City Bar Association

The Honorable Pierce Hand Seitz is an Associate Judge with the Municipal Court of Atlanta. He is an Atlanta native, and he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University. Judge Seitz began his journey in public service as a high school teacher in Atlanta Public Schools, and he later enrolled in law school and obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Georgia State University College of Law. After working in the chambers of two federal judges during law school, Judge Seitz began his legal career as a commercial litigation associate at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP. Following his passion for public service, he joined the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office as a Senior Assistant District Attorney where he reviewed, investigated, indicted, and prosecuted complex felony criminal cases through jury trials. Judge Seitz also spent a significant portion of his legal career in the nonprofit sector, serving initially as a housing staff attorney and later as Co-Director of the Safe & Stable Homes Project at Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation.

Judge Seitz has published legal articles in multiple legal journals and publications, including the Atlanta Lawyer. He is also an active member of the legal community and various professional, civic, and social organizations. He serves as Vice President of the Gate City Bar Association, is a member of the State Bar YLD Board of Directors, and was previously appointed to the Atlanta Bar Association’s Board of Directors. He is a member of the Logan E. Bleckley Inn of Court, an alum of the LEAD Atlanta Class of 2022, and a member of the Emory University Alumni Board.

Dr. William Simmons
District Court Administrator
6th JAD

William T. Simmons serves as the district court administrator for the Sixth Judicial Administrative District of Georgia. The Sixth Judicial District comprises 14 counties, 5 judicial circuits, 30 active and senior superior court judges, and a multitude of judicial employees who all rely upon his daily leadership and expertise. Will previously served as the superior and state court administrator for the Clayton Judicial Circuit in Jonesboro, Georgia, as well as the law library director for Cobb County Judicial Circuit in Marietta, Georgia.

He is a past president of the Georgia Council of Court Administrator and a past president for the National Association for Court Management.

Kazuma Sonoda, Esq., 
Georgia Hispanic Bar Association

Attorney Kazuma Sonoda, Jr. has devoted his legal career to the defense of those accused or charged with criminal offenses. His practice has taken him to federal and state courts throughout Georgia. Mr. Sonoda is known for his zealous advocacy on behalf of every client.  Mr. Sonoda has successfully defended individuals charged with a wide variety of offenses from minor traffic violations and drug charges to sex crimes and violent felonies.

Named one of Georgia’s Top Young Lawyers, he also has achieved Super Lawyers Rising Star status. Mr. Sonoda has appeared in Atlanta Magazine, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and was named one of Georgia’s Legal Elite by Georgia Trend Magazine. Mr. Sonoda is a member of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys and a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College in Macon, GA.  He is also an active member and on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association. Mr. Sonoda received his Juris Doctor degree in 2000 from the Emory University School of Law. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy and Spanish from Duke University where he was a member of the Chi Psi Fraternity.

Judge Jason Thompson
State Court of Fayette County

Jason B. Thompson is the State Court Judge for Fayette County. Prior to his appointment to the State Court bench in May 2013 by Gov. Nathan Deal, Judge Thompson served his community as a prosecutor, Municipal Court Judge, and Magistrate Court Judge. In 2016, Judge Thompson created the first DUI/Drug Court in the Griffin Judicial Circuit.  Four years later, he created the Veterans Treatment Court. Both accountability court programs focus on alternative sentencing for those criminal defendants with substance abuse and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since their inception, the DUI/Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court have successfully graduated 70 participants and saved this community almost $1M in jail costs.

Judge Thompson has served as President of the Fayette County Bar Association as well as the AFC Lightning Soccer Club. He has served as the Board of Directors of the Fayette County Development Authority, The Joseph Sams School, Southern Crescent Chorale, AV Pride, and Fayette County Youth Soccer League. He has coached mock trial teams at Fayette County High School and Mcintosh High School. In 2006, he served as the statewide chairman of the High School Mock Trial Program. Judge Thompson has served as an Adjunct Professor at Point University and annually organizes a special program in the community: The People’s Law School. He is both an organizer and a graduate from Leadership Fayette.

Benjamin Torres Esq.
Stonewall Bar Association

Benjamin Torres is a litigation associate at King & Spalding and the current President of the Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia, the state’s LGBTQ+ diversity bar organization.  Ben represents major international companies in mass tort litigation, and he also represents the terrestrial broadcast radio industry in licensing disputes with rights owners.  In 2022, Ben won the State Bar of Georgia’s “One to Watch” award for his commitment to diversity, equity, and social justice in the legal profession.  Ben was nominated and selected as a 2023 Pathfinder with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD).  Ben is a second-generation American and a first-generation college graduate, and he serves on the leadership team of King & Spalding’s Latinx Affinity Group.

Judge Chris Yokom
Juvenile Court Judge of Fulton County

Judge Christopher W. Yokom earned his undergraduate degree from Mercer University and a Juris Doctorate from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.
Judge Yokom first joined Fulton County Juvenile Court as a juvenile probation officer in 1997 and held a variety of legal and administrative positions before being appointed to the bench in 2017 as an Associate Judge.
In 2005, Judge Yokom was named Child Advocate Attorney of the Year by the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar. In 2013, he was named Fulton County Court Employee of the Year by the Atlanta Bar Association.
In January of 2020, Judge Yokom was appointed as a Presiding Judge for Fulton County Juvenile Court. In addition to his responsibilities as a Presiding Judge, Judge Yokom also presides over the ASCEND (Alternative Solutions Creating Excellence Not Detention) Accountability Court. In 2024, Judge Yokom became Deputy Chief of Fulton County Juvenile Court.
Judge Yokom is a registered mediator with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution and a member of the Atlanta Bar Association, Stonewall Bar Association, and the Gate City Bar Association. He was also on the Executive Committee for the Council of Juvenile Court Judges as the District Representative of District 5 and serves as a Committee Member to the Georgia Supreme Court’s Judicial Council Ad Hoc Committee on Judicial Emergency Preparedness.

Advisors

Director Doug Ammar, Esq.

Douglas B. Ammar has been an active presence at Georgia Justice Project (GJP) since its beginning in 1986. Starting as a volunteer, then joining as a staff attorney in 1990, Doug has led GJP as Executive Director since 1995. GJP has sought to be advocates for our clients not only by providing holistic criminal defense and social services; but also seeking systemic change in Georgia law that will reduce the number of people under correctional control and reduce barriers to reentry. During his time as Executive Director, GJP has help change 23 laws in Georgia that have worked to reduce barriers to reentry for people impacted by the criminal justice system.

Originally from Charleston, West Virginia, Doug earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Davidson College in 1984, and then a law degree from Washington and Lee University in 1989.

Director Ashley Clark, Esq.

Ashley Clark is the Director of the State Bar of Georgia Pro Bono Resource Center, where she serves as Staff Liaison for the State Bar of Georgia Access to Justice and Military Legal Assistance Program committees. She is also a Supervising Attorney with Georgia Legal Services Program’s (GLSP) Pro Bono Unit. In these roles, she trains pro bono attorneys and program staff, develops advocacy initiatives, supports access to lawyer-supervised pro bono opportunities, and more throughout the state of Georgia. She is also a member of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys and Gate City Bar Association. Ashley has a longstanding career in public interest work and a strong commitment to access to justice initiatives that support underserved communities. Since graduating from the University of Georgia School of Law, she has worked as a public defender, Public Service fellow with the Georgia Capital Defenders Office, and public interest attorney with GLSP first in eviction prevention matters and then as a member of the Pro Bono Unit.

Originally from Charleston, West Virginia, Doug earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Davidson College in 1984, and then a law degree from Washington and Lee University in 1989.

Director Karlise Grier, Esq.

In September 2017, Karlise Yvette Grier became the Executive Director of the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism, after the retirement of the previous Executive Director, Avarita Hanson. Prior to assuming her current position, Ms. Grier worked as the managing attorney of Grier Law Office, P.C., an Atlanta law firm that concentrated in the areas of adoption, divorce, and family law. Ms. Grier was appointed to serve as a part-time Magistrate Court judge in Fulton County and served as a Judicial Officer in the Fulton County Superior Court Family Division from May 2006 through December 2008.  From March 2000 until June 2005, Ms. Grier served as a Judge Pro Hac Vice in the former City Court of Atlanta (“Traffic Court”).

Ms. Grier served as the Vice Chair of the State Bar of Georgia’s Child Protection and Advocacy Section and the founding chair of the GABWA Family Law Section.  She is a past president of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys and of the League of Women Voters of Atlanta-Fulton County.  She is a member of the 2015 Class (BCE) of Leadership Atlanta. Ms. Grier received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer Science from Dartmouth College in 1986, and her law degree from the Emory University School of Law in 1992. She was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in that same year. Ms. Grier was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was graduated from Frederick Douglass High School.  She is a member of Ben Hill United Methodist Church.

Judge LaTisha Dear Johnson

The Honorable LaTisha Dear Jackson was elected Superior Judge of the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit in July of 2018. As a Superior Court Judge, she presides over a trial court of general jurisdiction for both civil and criminal actions with exclusive equity jurisdiction over all cases of divorce, title to land, and felonies involving jury trials, including death penalty cases. In 2022, Judge Jackson was elected to serve as the Chief Judge of the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit as well as the Administrative Judge for the Fourth Judicial Administrative District which is comprised of DeKalb and Rockdale Circuits.

 Judge Jackson earned her Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University College of Law. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the prestigious Spelman College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics (Pre-law concentration) and a double minor in Management Organization and Writing.

A native of Los Angeles, California, Judge Jackson is active in numerous professional organizations. She is a current member of both the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers and Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys’ Judicial Applicant Review Committees. In 2014, Judge Jackson was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia to serve on its Access to Justice Committee, where she continually works to ensure that there is unfettered access to the courts by litigants and the public as they navigate the judicial system. She is also a member of several bar associations which include but are not limited to DeKalb Bar Association, Gate City Bar and DeKalb Lawyers Association where she served an unprecedented two-year term as President. Presently, Judge Jackson is the Immediate Past Chair of the State Bar of Georgia’s Judicial Section after serving as Chair for three years. She is also a past president of the Georgia Council of Municipal Court Judges and member of the State’s Judicial Council. As Administrative Judge, Judge Jackson has again become a member of the Judicial Council.  

Vicky Kimbrell, Esq..

Vicky Ogawa Kimbrell is the Director of the Family Law Unit of Georgia Legal Services. She is recognized statewide as an expert on health and family law issues, particularly domestic violence. She has written widely and has handled numerous federal and state appellate public interest cases dealing with healthcare, custody, child support, juvenile law, and public benefits. Ms. Kimbrell has received the Dan Bradley award from the State Bar of Georgia for her years of public service. She received the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council’s Directors Award and the Family Violence Commission’s Gender Justice Award based on her advocacy for victims of Domestic Violence. She was recognized by Emory Law School’s Public Interest Committee and was appointed by three Georgia Governors to serve on the Georgia Family Violence Commission. She was also appointed to the original Committee on Justice for Children. Ms. Kimbrell, born in Gwinnett County, is the first identified Asian American woman to be a member of the Georgia Bar.

Judge Cassandra Kirk

Cassandra Kirk is the first Chief Magistrate Judge appointed by Governor Nathan Deal and elected two times by the people to serve Fulton County. Tasked to create Fulton’s newly independent Constitutional court, Judge Kirk used her over 27 years of legal experience as a jurist, prosecutor, defense attorney, civil litigator, and administrative director to redesign how the Court serves its community. Over her career, Judge Kirk spearheaded the creation of two accountability courts: Juvenile Drug Court and Misdemeanor Mental Health Court and served as a judge in 3 of the 4 Constitutionally required courts in Georgia. Her mission with Magistrate Court is to increase accessibility and create a Court that Informs, Engages, and Empowers Our Community. 

Cassandra supports the community through service to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., North Avenue Presbyterian Church (Elder) and the Boards of Directors of The Atlanta Resource Foundation, EduHousing, the Southern Advisory Committee to Children’s Rights, Chris 180 Advisory Board, and Street Grace, a non-profit aimed at eradicating domestic minor sex trafficking. As a result of her commitment to the community and the legal profession, Judge Kirk received several awards and recognitions for service and leadership, including being named Judge of the Year (Rolling Out Magazine and Women Works Media Group), Magistrate Judge of the Year (Georgia Association of Black County Officials), Humanitarian of the Year (Georgia Council of Magistrate Court Judges), Woman of the Year (Atlanta Business Journal and ACHI Magazine), was honored with the Power of Leadership Award (Black I Am Power and Entertainment Awards), Unsung Heroine Award (Saving Our Children and Families), Women of Strength (The Shaquille Clarke Foundation), and was named one of Atlanta Business Journal’s Top 25 Extraordinary Atlantans, as well as a Georgia Legal Trailblazer (Daily Report). Judge Kirk received her B.A. from Williams College, and her J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law.

Anne Kirkhope, Esq.


Anne Kirkhope has served as the Staff Attorney of the Council of Juvenile Court Judges since 2006 through direct assistance to judges, administrative support for Council standing committees, and participation in various statewide child welfare and juvenile justice system improvement efforts. During this period Anne obtained certification as a Child Welfare Law Specialist from the National Association of Counsel for Children. Immediately prior to her position with the Council, Anne served three years as an Administrative Hearing Officer with the State of Ohio’s Unemployment Compensation Review Commission, and kicking off her career in public service, Anne was an assistant county prosecutor for six years in Toledo, Ohio, where she also earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law.

Prior to her work as a practicing attorney, Anne received a Master’s in Information and Library Studies with a specialization in law libraries from the University of Michigan, after which she served as Librarian for the law firm of Eastman & Smith in Toledo as well as the Evening Public Services Librarian at the University of Toledo College of Law Library while attending law school part time.

Judge Brendan F. Murphy


Judge Brendan F. Murphy was appointed Chief Magistrate of Cobb County by the Superior Court bench of the Cobb Judicial Circuit in July 2019 and elected to a full term in June 2020.  As Chief Magistrate, he is responsible for all judicial and administrative functions of the Magistrate Court of Cobb County which operates 24 hours/day, 365 days/year with a staff of approximately 75 people, including 20 total judges.  Judge Murphy is dedicated to ensuring access to justice at “The People’s Court.”

Judge Murphy’s service extends beyond the bench. He was appointed to the Board of Commissioners of the Magistrates Retirement Fund in February 2021 and Chief Justice Harold D. Melton’s Judicial COVID-19 Task Force in May 2020. He also currently serves as Vice Chair of the Council of Magistrate Court Judges Legislative Committee. Judge Murphy previously sat on the Board of Trustees of the Cobb County Bar Association where he served three terms as Parliamentarian. He has been a volunteer judge for the annual High School Mock Trial competition and was a Mentor for the State Bar of Georgia’s Transition Into Law Practice Program. A proud “Double Dawg,” Judge Murphy is a two-time graduate of the University of Georgia with a BA in History and Political Science, and a JD from the School of Law. Brendan is married to his wife Sarah, a board-certified clinical pharmacist. They are the proud parents of two busy children. The Murphys reside in East Cobb where they attend and volunteer at the Catholic Church of St. Ann.

Director Rita Sheffey, Esq..

Rita A. Sheffey joined the Atlanta Legal Aid Society (“Legal Aid”) on August 1, 2023, where she oversees more than 150 staff (90 lawyers) who help low-income people meet basic legal needs, removing barriers to justice through civil legal assistance.  Legal Aid celebrated its centennial in 2024 and continues as an anchor non-profit in metro Atlanta, serving nearly 21,000 people every year in areas including housing and homeownership, family law, consumer law, health care, and education.  We also specifically serve veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, and children through a number of special projects.  https://atlantalegalaid.org/about-us/our-work/

 

Prior to joining Legal Aid, Rita served for eight years as Emory University School of Law’s Assistant Dean for Public Service, where she oversaw the Pro Bono Program and advised students interested in post-graduate employment with government and public interest organizations  Prior to Emory, Rita was a partner with Hunton & Williams LLP (now Hunton Andrews Kurth) where she focused on complex litigation and served as Hunton & Williams’ Southside Legal Center pro bono clinic director and Atlanta Pro Bono Committee Chair.

 

Rita has served in numerous leadership positions, including as President of the Atlanta Bar Association and the Atlanta Legal Aid Society.  During three decades of involvement with Legal Aid, Rita served as Board President, co-chaired the 90th Anniversary Planning Committee, served on the Strategic Planning Committee, mentored a number of staff attorneys, and supported Legal Aid’s work through her service to the Atlanta Bar and the State Bar of Georgia.

 

Rita has received numerous awards for her leadership and pro bono efforts, including the Atlanta Legal Aid Society’s Extraordinary Pro Bono Service Award in 2018, the Georgia State University College of Law’s Ben F. Johnson, Jr. Public Service Award in 2015, and the inaugural Rita A. Sheffey Public Interest Award from the Atlanta Bar’s Public Interest Law Section in 2012.   Rita grew up in southwest Virginia and has degrees from the University of Virginia (B.A. in chemistry), Duke University (Ph.D. in chemistry), Boston College Law School (J.D.) and Emory’s Candler School of Theology (Master’s in Religion and Public Life).  She also did a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Biological Chemistry at Harvard Medical School. 

Cathy holds a BA in French and Political Science (1989) and a JD (1992) from the University of Georgia. She is actively engaged in the Cobb County Bar Association and currently serves as a Member at Large of the Cobb Bar Board of Trustees. In addition to Georgia, Cathy is admitted to practice in Arkansas and Florida.

Staff to the A2J Committee

Judge Tabitha Ponder Esq
Staff Attorney

Judge Tabitha Ponder earned a B.S. degree in Psychology from Albany State University in 1996 and a J.D. from Mercer University School of Law in 1999. She began her legal career as an Insurance Defense Attorney. In 2007, she became the Founder/Managing Attorney of the Ponder Law Group, LLC, a statewide litigation firm. She is now a part-time Cobb County Magistrate Court judge and a certified Civil/Domestic Relations Mediator and Arbitrator.

Judge Ponder is recognized statewide for her expertise and commitment to improving access to justice. She currently serves as the contracted Staff Attorney for Georgia Judicial Council’s Access to Justice Committee under the leadership of Justice Verda Colvin, and Judge Ponder was recently appointed to staff the Judicial Council’s new Ad Hoc Committee on Improving Community Access to Legal Resources. She was appointed to serve as Special Master for Cobb County Superior Court in 2017. Judge Ponder also previously taught as an Adjunct Professor for seven years at Albany State University.

Judge Ponder is a member of the Georgia Bar Association and Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. She also serves as a Board Member of the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers. Her service also extends to the Cobb County Bar Association, Gate City Bar Association, the Cobb County Branch NAACP, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She resides in Marietta with her family.

Deonte T. Mayfield
A2J Policy Analyst

Deonte Mayfield is a passionate legal professional with a fresh perspective and a keen moral compass. Mr. Mayfield joined the Administrative Office of the Courts within months upon his college graduation. As staffer to the Standing Committee on Access to Justice, Deonte conducts research and data analysis to advance the objectives of the committee. Deonte brings a broad wealth of experience as he has interned in both private and public sector legal settings observing attorneys closely. Reared as a military child, Deonte answered the call to service as an Army Reservist. Deonte earned his B.A. in Political Science from Morehouse College. There at Morehouse, he was recognized as an outstanding writer and orator. Currently, Deonte is attending Candler School of Theology for the Hybrid Master of Divinity Program. He aspires to attend law school in the near future.  

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