ATLANTA – State Representative Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton), chairman of the House Juvenile Justice Committee, recently received the Judge Martha K. Glaze Service Award from the Council of Juvenile Court Judges of Georgia (CJCJ). Juvenile Court Judge Jan Wheeler presented the award to Rep. Ballinger during the council’s fall business meeting on Monday, October 21, 2019, in Athens, Georgia.
“It was an incredible honor to receive this recognition from the Council of Juvenile Court Judges of Georgia,” said Rep. Ballinger. “The council has provided tremendous support to me and my colleagues at the State Capitol, and I look forward to continuing our partnership as we work to create legislative solutions that promote and protect the best interests of children in our state.”
Rep. Ballinger was nominated for this award for her dedication and work in the state, community and Georgia General Assembly on behalf of the juvenile court judges and the juvenile justice system of Georgia. Upon her nomination, the CJCJ’s Executive Committee unanimously voted to present this award to her. Past recipients of this award include the following honorees: Mr. S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A; Mr. Joe Hood, Department of Community Health; Mr. Avery Niles, former commissioner of the Department of Juvenile Justice of Georgia; and Honorable Johnnie Caldwell, former state representative of House District 131.
The Judge Martha K. Glaze Award was created during Clayton County Juvenile Court Judge Steven Teske’s term as president of the CJCJ (2008-2009). At that time, he initiated a discussion about the council’s need to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the council and/or the field of juvenile justice and child welfare. As a result of this conversation, the council voted to have an award given out annually entitled the “Judge Martha K. Glaze Award.”
Judge Martha K. Glaze was appointed juvenile court judge of Clayton County in 1977 and served in that capacity until her retirement in 1999. She served on the Board of Trustees of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, as well as president of the CJCJ. She was a long serving chair of the council’s Standing Committee on Education and Certification, setting the standards for the education of the juvenile court judges of Georgia. Judge Glaze’s time on the bench exemplified a remarkable career of selfless and dedicated contributions to the children, youth and families of her community and the State of Georgia.
For more information on the CJCJ, please click here.
*Editor’s Note: A photo from the award ceremony is attached. (From left to right: Judge Jan Wheeler; Rep. Mandi Ballinger; Atlanta Judicial Circuit Judge Juliette Scales, president of the CJCJ, 2019-20; and CJCJ Executive Director Eric John.)
Representative Mandi L. Ballinger represents the citizens of District 23, which includes portions of Cherokee County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves as Chairman of the Juvenile Justice Committee and as Secretary of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee. She also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and the Information and Audits, Judiciary Non-Civil, Rules and Transportation committees.
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