Superior Court

The following candidates are NOT running against each other. They are running for separate seats and are unopposed so you will be required to either vote for them or abstain from voting for anyone.

Kimberly Esmond Adams

  • Has served as Superior Court Judge for Fulton County since 2009

  • Juris Doctor: Notre Dame Law School

  • BA: Howard University (Major: Political Science; Minor: Print Journalism)

  • Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney, Fulton County District Attorney’s Office

  • Employment Attorney, Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLC

  • Member, National Association of Women Judges

  • Member, National Bar Association Judicial Council Board of Directors

  • Member, Atlanta Bar Association Judicial Section Board of Directors

  • Member, Gate City Bar Association Judicial Section Executive Board

  • Member, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys

  • Member, Leadership Atlanta Board of Trustees (Executive Committee)

Thomas A. Cox Jr.

  • Superior Court Judge since 2017

  • Juris Doctor: Boston College Law School (1987)

  • Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Morehouse College, Cum Laude (1984

  • Fisher Phillips LLP, Of Counsel (2015-2016)

  • Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, Partner (2012-2013)

  • Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., Member (2010-2012)

  • Miller & Martin PLLC, Partner (2002-2009)

  • Johnson & Freeman, LLC, Partner (1997-2002)

  • Fulton County Attorney's Office, Sr. Attorney (1992-1997)

  • Mays & Slayton, P.C., Associate (1991-1992)

  • Georgia Attorney Generals Office, Staff Attorney (1989-1991)

  • U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., Staff Attorney (1987-1989)

Eric Kenard Dunaway

  • Superior Court Judge since 2017

  • Juris Doctor: Mercer University School of Law (1996)

  • Bachelor of Arts, Political Science: Morehouse College (1993)

  • Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney, DeKalb County

  • Assistant District Attorney, Paulding County

  • Assistant District Attorney, Fulton County

  • Assistant Solicitor, City of Atlanta

Belinda E. Edwards

  • January 2017-Present: Superior Court of Fulton County

  • September 2008-December 2012, Chief Judge, Fulton Juvenile Court

  • January 2005-September 2008, Judge, Fulton County Juvenile Court

  • B.A., Economics, Stanford University

  • MBA, in Finance and Accounting, Columbia University

  • JD, Georgia State University College of Law

  • Certified Arbitrator and Mediator, Hollowell Foster & Herring.

  • Administrative Hearing Officer, State Department of Community Affairs.

  • Attorney, Atlanta Public Schools

  • Attorney, City of Atlanta

  • Morris Brown College, General Counsel

Ural Glanville

  • 2005 – Present: Superior Court of Fulton County

  • 1995 – 2004: Magistrate Court of Fulton County

  • Masters, Strategic Studies: United States Army War College (2008)

  • Juris Doctor: University of Georgia (1987)

  • Bachelor, History: University of Georgia (1984)

  • Brigadier General, Chief Judge (IMA) United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals

  • Commanding General, NATO Rule of Law Support Mission/ Field Force-Afghanistan

  • Private Practice, Ural Glanville, P.C.

  • Senior Trial Prosecutor, Solicitor’s Office of DeKalb County, Georgia

  • Senior Prosecutor, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate

  • Defense Attorney, United States Army Trial Defense Service

Rachel Krause

  • 2018 – Present: Superior Court of Fulton Count

  • Juris Doctor: Mercer Law School, 2001

  • BA, Political Science: Georgia Southern University, 1996

  • Partner - Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith (Atlanta, GA) – 2010 - 2018

  • Senior Associate - Ford & Harrison (Atlanta, GA) – 2008 - 2010

  • Associate - Ogden & Sullivan, PA (Tampa, FL) – 2003 - 2008

  • Law Clerk/Associate – Gambrell & Stolz (Macon, GA) – 1999 - 2003

  • Past President & Member – Society of Human Resource Management, Atlanta Chapter

  • DRI Life Health Disability & ERISA Committee, Membership Vice-Chair

Shawn Ellen LaGrua

  • 2010-Present: Superior Court of Fulton County

  • Juris Doctor: Georgia State University(1987)

  • Bachelor Degree, Political Science: University of Georgia (1984)

  • Inspector General, Georgia Secretary of State’s Office (2007-2010)

  • Solicitor General, DeKalb County (2004-2007)

  • Senior Assistant District Attorney, DeKalb County (2001-2004)

  • Chief Assistant District Attorney, Tallapoosa Circuit (1999-2001)

  • Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney, Fulton County (1992-1999)

  • Vice-Chair, Georgia Commission on Family Violence (2010-present)

Shukara Ingram Millender

  • 2018 – Present: Superior Court of Fulton County

  • 2015-2018: Magistrate Court of Fulton County

  • Juris Doctor: Georgia State University College of Law

  • BA: Clark Atlanta University

  • Senior Associate, Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP

  • Senior Assistant District Attorney, Fulton County District Attorney’s Office

  • Assistant Solicitor, City Court of Atlanta

  • Master, Bleckley Inn of Courts

  • Member, Committee on Professionalism, State Bar of Georgia

Henry M. Newkirk

  • 2008-Present: Superior Court of Fulton County

  • 1998-2008: State Court of Fulton County

  • Juris Doctor: Woodrow Wilson College of Law (1982)

  • BS: Florida State University (1976)

  • 1986-1998: Fulton County Assistant District Attorney

  • 1984-1986: Dekalb County Assistant Solicitor

  • Past President, Judicial Section, Atlanta Bar Association

  • Executive Committee, Lawyers Club of Atlanta

  • Board Member, Wesley Woods Foundation

Emily K. Richardson

  • 2018 – present: Superior Court of Fulton County

  • J.D., Emory University Law School (2005)

  • A.B., Duke University (2001)

  • Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney, Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit

  • Senior Assistant District Attorney, Douglas Judicial Circuit

  • Assistant Attorney General, Georgia Attorney General’s Office

Seat #2: The following candidates are running for the same seat against each other.

Rachelle Carnesale (Incumbent)

  • 2019 – present: Superior Court of Fulton County

  • Juris Doctor: Emory University School of Law (1992)

  • Bachelor of Arts, with highest honors, Political Science: University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (1989)

  • Chief Assistant District Attorney, Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit

  • Division Director, Georgia Department of Family and Children Services

  • Deputy Director, Georgia Office of the Child Advocate

  • Director, Georgia Child Death Investigation Program

  • Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney, Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit

  • Assistant District Attorney, Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit

  • Assistant Attorney General, Law Department – State of Georgia

  • Founder and Past Chair, Georgia Infant Safe Sleep Coalition

  • 2018-2019 Law and Justice Woman of the Year Award

  • 2018 Atlanta Women of Distinction Finalist,

  • POLITICO’s 2018 Women of Impact

Tiffany Carter Sellers

Tiffany attended South Carolina State University on a full academic scholarship majoring in Political Science with a concentration in Public Administration. A four-time Presidential scholar for consistently excelling academically, she graduated from the institution in 2003 summa cum laude, with the highest G.P.A. in Political Science. Tiffany furthered her education by enrolling in the University of Georgia School of Law and was elected as the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law’s first African-American Managing Editor. Following law school, Tiffany was hired by Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins, LLP, the oldest minority-owned law firm in Atlanta. She also defended other Fortune 500 companies, such as State Farm Automobile Company, Ford Motor Company and Coca-Cola. On September 17, 2017, Tiffany was appointed by Mayor William “Bill” Edwards as the first Chief Judge of the Municipal Court of the City of South Fulton. Tiffany is married to her college sweetheart, Bernardo, and the couple have two children, Aiden and Jordyn. She is an active member of Elizabeth Baptist Church,

Seat #3: The following candidates are running for the same seat against each other.

Rebecca Crumrine Rieder (Inc.)

  • Juris Doctor: University of Georgia (2001)

  • M.Ed.: University of Georgia (1994)

  • BA, History: University of the South at Sewanee (1991)

  • Prior Owner, Hedgepeth, Heredia & Rieder, LLC

  • Prior Shareholder, Davis, Matthews & Quigley

  • Associate, Carter & Ansley

  • Associate, Finley & Buckley

  • Judicial Extern for Chief Judge Dudley Bowen, United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia

  • Middle and High School Teacher, Davidson Fine Arts School

Shermela Williams

  • J.D Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC

  • B.A Howard University, Washington, DC

  • Prosecutor & Criminal Defense Lawyer

  • Plaintiff & Civil Defense Lawyer

  • Family Law Lawyer

  • Fulton County Gender Equality Panel

  • Fulton County District Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Task Force (Director)

  • Impact United Methodist Church (Worship Facilitator, Experience Team Member, Imprint Group Facilitator, 501(c)(3) Board Co-Chair)

Seat #4: The following candidates are running for the same seat against each other.

Melynee Leftridge Harris

Melynee was fortunate to be accepted into Spelman College where I thrived. I loved my college experience and really enjoyed living and learning in Fulton County. After graduating from Spelman, she went on to attend Georgetown University Law Center. Soon after graduating, she took a job as a Staff Attorney/Law Clerks for a judge on the Fulton County Superior Court. Thereafter, I worked for 17 years as an attorney before becoming a full time Magistrate Court Judge in 2010. During the lengthy time period I was a practicing lawyer, I served as a Fulton County Assistant District Attorney and a civil litigator representing plaintiffs, defendants, corporations and individuals in the State and Superior Courts of Georgia. Almost 3 years ago, I married a wonderful man, Eric Harris. I am a bonus mom to our 2 fabulous “young adults.”

Tamika Hrobowski-Houston

Tamika attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where she received my undergraduate degree in Psychology and had a minor in Criminal Justice. Three years later, she received my J.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She began her legal career as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and throughout the twenty-six (26) years since, she has subsequently held various positions including federal government agency counsel, Special Assistant United States Attorney, criminal defense attorney and solo practitioner. She was recently recognized as a 2020 Georgia Super Lawyer. In 2016, she was appointed as Judicial Officer in the Fulton County Superior Court's Family Division. In her free time, she enjoys playing golf, watching football, spending time with her loved ones, traveling with my husband, and chasing after her fur baby, Ivy Pearl.

Lizz Kuhn

Lizz Kuhn is a partner attorney at North Metro Litigators and has 15 years of documented successful courtroom experience as shown in her reviews on Avvo, Lawyers.com, Findlaw and Google. She has practiced Family Law (divorce, child custody), Personal Injury Law, Bankruptcy Law, and some Criminal Defense. She attended New England School of Law. While in law school, she got a job at Home Depot and became a law clerk for a private attorney. In 2005, she graduated Magna Cum Laude, top 3% of my class, and was decorated with several honors. She is a member in good standing of the Georgia Bar, Georgia Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of Georgia and a member in good standing of the Federal District of Northern Georgia.

She's the new F.A.C.E. for Judge, of the Superior Court of Fulton County. Fair. Accessible. Committed. Ethical.

Ashley Baker Osby

Ashley Baker Osby is an Atlanta resident Becoming a Superior Court Judge has been a career long aspiration for Judge Osby, who currently serves as a Magistrate Court Judge in Fulton County. Judge Osby is a native of Atlanta and went to Woodward Academy and Tulane University for her undergraduate degree. She came back to Atlanta and received her law degree from Georgia State College of Law. Later she graduated from the University of Alabama with an LLM (Master's of Law) Magna Cum Laude. She began her career as a law clerk in Fulton Superior Court. In private practice, Judge Osby tried cases in Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate, and Federal Courts, and the Georgia Supreme Court. After private practice she served as a Probate Court Judge before becoming a Judge in the Fulton County Magistrate Court. Judge Osby has four children and she spends time with their activities at NYO and Peachtree Presbyterian.