Clayton County, GA — The magistrate court in Clayton County, Georgia has nine judges. 8 of them are women, and all of them are Black. It is the first time in the county’s history to have an all-Black magistrate bench.
The magistrate court’s Chief Judge Keisha Wright Hill was the one assigned to choose the judges. She said she chose them because of their competence and not of their race.
“There were numerous applicants, and I chose the best. And this is what we have,” Hill told WSB-TV. “They are phenomenal. They’re hardworking, and they are fair.”
The newly-appointed judges aim to be more efficient and to serve fairly in the county, which is a minority-majority area.
“I think we will be able to better serve the community that has evolved over time,” Judge Onyema Farrey said.
“I think that our community has not been fairly represented. And I think that is one of the things we set out to do,” Judge Latrevia Kates-Johnson said.
More than that, they want to keep the community safe.
“I love this county, so I’m going to do everything that I can to make sure that it stays safe,” Hill said.