Mission
To provide for a fair and impartial
hearing for all citizens charged with a city ordinance
violation or state offense within the boundaries of the City
of Atlanta.
Office of Chief Judge
Chief Judge Deborah Greene began her
trailblazing law career and became the first female prosecutor
for the State Court of Fulton County in 1976. The
daughter of an attorney. She followed in her father's
footsteps, deciding to practice law. After graduation
from law school, she worked for a short time in her fathers
law firm.
During
her 14 years with the court she has argued more
than 25 cases before the Georgia Court of Appeals,
Georgia Supreme Court and the U. S. District Court and
handled more than 300 jury trials. In 1990 former Mayor
Maynard Jackson appointed her to Atlanta Municipal Court. Judge Green was
appointed in April 2004 to take over the Chief Judge post when
Judge Riley stepped down to run for Superior Court
seat.
Judge Greene is
very involved in the Municipal and Traffic Court
consolidation. Mayor
Franklin's vision is to have a modernized Court. The
consolidation will help streamline the court to better
serve residents. A major part of the new court
system is to implement a paperless office technology. Judge
Greene refers to it as 'paper on demand' and a very exciting
opportunity. The consolidation could be complete as
early as January 2005 and will serve as a model across the
United States.
In addition to
overseeing the court consolidation, Judge Greene also has a
great vision for her position as Chief Judge. She plans to
continue expanding the City's Community Court and its services
for the homeless and will work in tandem with the 24/7 Gateway
Center. She is also a strong advocate of restorative justice
and plans to implement programs where offenders will complete
community service in various neighborhoods. She also
envisions organizing neighborhood groups to help seniors
avoid housing code violations.
A
graduate of the University of Georgia and the University of
Georgia School of Law, Judge Greene's professional
associations and awards are many and include the Atlanta Bar
Association, National Association of Women Judges and the YWCA
Woman of Achievement.