Appalachian Judicial Circuit Chief Superior Court Judge Brenda S. Weaver was named this year’s recipient of the prestigious Emory Findley Award by her peers during the state meeting of the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia on January 23, 2025, in Athens, Georgia.
The Council of Superior Court Judges annually awards the Emory Findley Award to a Superior Court judge who has exhibited, through leadership and actions, outstanding judicial service in all areas, but mainly through service that has benefited judges statewide, thereby enhancing the reputation of the justice system. The accolade is named for Judge James Emory Findley, a Superior Court judge in the Atlantic Judicial Circuit from 1977 to 1995. Findley, a WW II Army veteran, served as president of the Council of Superior Court Judges and presided as senior judge from 1995 until his death in 2004.
Judge Weaver was appointed to the Superior Court bench in 1996 and has served as Chief Superior Court Judge of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit since 1999. She has exhibited incredible leadership and work ethic on and off the bench. Judge Weaver served as the president of the Council of Superior Court Judges from 2014 to 2015. She has been a driving force in creating and developing accountability courts throughout the State of Georgia, including implementing an adult felony drug court, mental health court, and veteran’s court in the Appalachian Judicial Circuit. These programs have been recognized as model accountability courts statewide.
Judge Weaver advocates strongly for mental health reform and was appointed by the late Speaker David Ralston to the Behavioral Health and Reform Innovation Commission. She serves on the Mental Health Courts and Corrections Subcommittee of the Commission.
Additionally, working closely with community partners, Judge Weaver facilitated the establishment of the Elsie Gilliam House and The Depot as housing facilities for female and male participants in the accountability courts. Moreover, seeing a need in our community, Judge Weaver formed the Appalachian Family Law Information Center to assist residents of Pickens, Gilmer, and Fannin counties who wish to represent themselves in domestic legal matters or educate themselves about domestic issues, and this program was awarded the William B. Spann, Jr. Award in 2014. Likewise, Judge Weaver has been instrumental in establishing visitation centers in our community to provide safe visitation alternatives for children by non-custodial parents.
Judge Weaver has been recognized for her accomplishments in the past. The Pickens County Chamber of Commerce selected her as the 2015 Citizen of the Year. In 2019, Judge Weaver received the “Star” award for Accountability Court Judges. Additionally, she received the Public Stakeholder Award from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision in 2023.
Locally, she serves as an advisory Board member for the Appalachian Children’s Center, the Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center, the Hope House, the Georgia Mountain Hospice, and Kids Kottage. She has also served as a board member of the Pickens County Certified Literate Community Program since 1999. She is an honorary member of the Rotary Club and the Optimist Club.
At the awards ceremony, Judge Weaver’s leadership skills at the local and state level, energy, compassion, and vision were highlighted by her peers. Judge Lawton Stephens, Western Judicial Circuit, remarked, “The crown jewel in her service is her accountability courts, where she does more than her part to save lives, one day at a time, one person at a time.” Senior Judge Kathy Gosselin, Northeastern Judicial Circuit, wrote a letter supporting Judge Weaver for the Emory Findley Award. “Rarely does she decline an opportunity to serve the judiciary of the State of Georgia. Her leadership skills have proven her to be involved in new initiatives, as well as bringing judges together to cooperate in efforts to improve courts at the local and state levels. She has a vision, as well as leadership. She has energy beyond that of most of us and is a kind and generous friend,” stated Gosselin.
This award signifies that Judge Weaver is not only an asset to our local community, which we already knew, but that judges from all over our State also recognize and appreciate Judge Weaver’s hard work and leadership. Congratulations, Judge Weaver!