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Hon. Pandora E. PalmerPandora E. Palmer was appointed to the Henry County Superior Court by Brian Kemp and sworn in on October 21, 2020. She previously served on the Henry County State Court after her 2019 appointment by Nathan Deal, becoming the first woman to serve on that bench. Since 2020, Judge Palmer has presided over the Henry County Veterans Treatment Court, which was recognized as a Model Veterans Treatment Court by the Council of Accountability Court Judges for 2025–2027.
Judge Palmer earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from University of Georgia, her J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law, and a master’s in judicial studies from University of Nevada, Reno in 2025. Before joining the bench, she practiced law in Georgia and Hawaii, focusing on family law, criminal defense, juvenile law, and personal injury. A published author and respected community leader, Judge Palmer has served as President of the Henry County Bar Association and on numerous civic boards. Her many honors include the Alex Crumbley Distinguished Service Award and repeated recognition as one of the Top 50 Southern Crescent Women of Influence. . |
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Attorney LeAnne P. CooperLeAnne P. Cooper is a partner at Petrelli Previtera, LLC and a highly respected family law attorney with more than twenty years of experience. Based in Covington, Georgia, she represents clients in divorce, child custody, spousal support, property division, and post-decree litigation.
Known for her compassionate and client-centered approach, LeAnne is committed to guiding individuals and families through some of life’s most challenging transitions. She emphasizes clear communication, realistic expectations, and strategic advocacy, ensuring that clients are informed, supported, and confidently represented throughout their cases. In the courtroom, LeAnne is recognized for her thorough preparation, strong legal knowledge, and practical judgment. She is a skilled advocate who balances vigorous representation with a reasonable and solution-oriented approach, earning a reputation for professionalism and excellent results. LeAnne received her Juris Doctor from Mercer University School of Law. Before joining Petrelli Previtera, she operated her own successful law practice for more than fifteen years and served for eight years as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Georgia. A lifelong Georgian and first-generation college graduate, LeAnne values hard work, perseverance, and service to others. |
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Attorney Mike CarlsonMike Carlson currently serves as Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit, a position he has held since 2025. A trial lawyer with more than thirty years of experience, he holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, recognizing the highest standards of legal ability and ethics.
Carlson earned his A.B. from University of Georgia and his J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1992, where he received the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Award for excellence in advocacy. His career includes private practice and senior leadership roles in multiple Georgia district attorneys’ offices, as well as service as chief counsel and ethics officer for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. In 2015, Nathan Deal appointed him to the Georgia Court Martial Review Panel. A nationally respected lecturer, Carlson teaches evidence and trial advocacy to judges and lawyers throughout Georgia. He is co-author of leading legal treatises, including Carlson on Evidence, which has been cited in more than eighty-five Georgia appellate decisions. |
Attorney Mercedes G. BallMercedes G. Ball serves as Assistant General Counsel and Director of the Client Assistance Program at the State Bar of Georgia, where she oversees the resolution of informal complaints and certain formal grievances against Georgia attorneys.
Before joining the State Bar, Mercedes served as a Child Advocate Attorney with the DeKalb County Child Advocacy Center and previously practiced as a Lead Trial Attorney in private practice. She is widely recognized for her commitment to community service and leadership. Mercedes served as Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys Foundation Sister2Sister Mentoring Program®, expanding the juvenile diversion program to serve more than 200 teen girls. She also launched the Foundation’s Women’s Health Initiative, which provided free health services and education to more than 1,000 individuals. A former President and CEO of the Junior League of DeKalb County, Mercedes created the DeKalb Saturday Scholars Initiative, a literacy program serving approximately 100 children. Mercedes earned her B.A., cum laude, from Spelman College and her J.D. from University of Georgia School of Law. She has received numerous honors for her professional excellence and civic leadership. |
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Judge Shondeana C. Morris
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Judge Shondeana C. Morris has served on the DeKalb County Superior Court since her appointment in 2019, following her tenure as a DeKalb County State Court Judge. A true Georgia native, she earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Georgia, a master's in criminal justice from Albany State University, and her Juris Doctor from Mercer University School of Law, where she was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1997.
Prior to taking the bench, Judge Morris built a distinguished prosecutorial career, serving as an Assistant Solicitor in Atlanta and later as a Deputy District Attorney in Fulton County. In that role, she led key units focused on public integrity, crimes against women and children, and community prosecution, earning recognition for her trial advocacy, including the Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation Trial Advocacy Award. Judge Morris is deeply engaged in professional, civic, and community service. She is an active member of numerous legal organizations and has held leadership roles within the State Bar of Georgia and the Gate City Bar Association. Her commitment to service extends to mentorship, youth development, and advocacy for vulnerable populations, including her work with domestic violence survivors, children in foster care, and suicide prevention initiatives. She currently serves on the Georgia DFCS Advisory Commission and has received multiple honors recognizing her leadership, including the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division Courage Award and the International Trailblazer Award |
Attorney Suesan MillerSuesan Miller founded her own law firm in 2011 so that she could focus exclusively on defending the rights of those accused of crimes. Suesan has tirelessly defended those accused of Crimes in Georgia, with an affinity for those charged with DUI. She has taken over a 100 cases to jury trial, handling everything from Murder to shoplifting and disorderly conduct.
She has been recognized as among the top 100 trial Lawyers in Georgia by the National Trial Lawyers along with SuperLawyers as published in Atlanta Magazine. Suesan has earned a reputation for fearlessly defending difficult criminal cases. She was awarded Best Trial Victory of the year (2014) and DUI Lawyer of the Year (2015) for an Unbelievable Jury trial verdict for Acquittal by the Georgia DODD group. In 2019 Suesan was undefeated in the 12 trials that she took before a jury. Suesan was a professor at the prestigious Bill Daniels Trial Advocacy program where she taught lawyers how to effectively defend clients of the most serious of crimes. She has also spoken at continuing legal education events to help educate lawyers as the practice of law continues to evolve. She has spoken to multiple local bar associations and has donated her time as a coach and a judge to the Georgia High School Mock Trial Program. Suesan has also served the city of Hampton as associate municipal court judge since 2023. |
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Hon. Chaundra LewisChaundra Lewis currently serves as a Superior Court Judge in Henry County, where she presides over both a substantial caseload and the Henry County Resource Court, an accountability court that provides treatment-focused alternatives to incarceration for individuals with mental health challenges.
Before joining the Superior Court bench, Judge Lewis served as a State Court Judge and presided over the Henry County DUI/Drug Court Program, helping participants address substance abuse and reduce recidivism. Her distinguished legal career also includes service as Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney in Henry County and Deputy Chief Assistant Solicitor General in both Fulton County and Clayton County. Earlier in her career, she worked as a staff attorney, civil litigator, and defense attorney. Judge Lewis earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Spelman College and her Juris Doctor from University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. A committed community leader, Judge Lewis serves on the board of Miracle Mission International Outreach and is a graduate of Leadership Clayton, Leadership Henry, and Leadership Georgia. She and her husband, Kevin, are the proud parents of three daughters. |
Attorney Zachary Bowman
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Zach Bowman is a dedicated criminal defense attorney with a strong academic and trial advocacy background. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from University of South Florida, where he developed a deep appreciation for the legal, political, and historical forces that shape the justice system.
He later received his Juris Doctor from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School, graduating from the school’s distinguished Criminal Justice Honors Program. This specialized program provided intensive training in criminal law and procedure and prepared him for a career focused on protecting the rights of individuals accused of crimes. For more than seven years, Zach has served with the Flint Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office, where he has represented clients facing a wide range of criminal charges. In this role, he is known for his thorough preparation, courtroom advocacy, and steadfast commitment to ensuring that every client receives effective and compassionate representation. Zach is also a graduate of the Bill Daniel Trial Advocacy Program, an intensive training program that further strengthened his litigation skills and reinforced his commitment to excellence in trial practice. |
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Attorney John WebbJohn is one of the three (3) managing partners (along with Andy Welch and Will White) of Smith, Welch, Webb and White. Mr. Webb gained extensive trial experience prosecuting criminal cases in the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit in 1994-1996. Since joining the firm in 1997, Mr. Webb has acquired experience and expertise in trial litigation, handling hundreds of civil and criminal cases. He has established a litigation practice that focuses on representing clients who have been injured by others. Mr. Webb is the team leader for the Personal Injury – Auto Accidents and Wrongful Death practice areas, where he is known for his personalized attention to each case.
Mr. Webb is dedicated to being accessible and available to his clients, providing empathy and compassion throughout their legal journey. His extensive trial experience allows him to effectively advocate for his clients in court. |
Attorney Miranda HanleyMiranda Hanley is a partner with Smith, Welch, Webb & White, LLC. Miranda has a successful tort practice specializing in personal injury, nursing home abuse and neglect, wrongful death, and workers’ compensation. She has extensive litigation and trial experience and regularly litigates in both state and federal courts as well as appellate experience in the Georgia Court of Appeals, Supreme Court of Georgia, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Miranda is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Lawyers Club of Atlanta, a past president of the Henry County Bar Association, and a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers’ Association. Miranda has received the Super Lawyers Rising Star award for 2019-2026. She is also a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40. Her recent speaking engagements include: First Steps of an Auto Injury Case, Basics of Managing Medical Expenses, Paralegal Basics, NBI CLE, 2025; Accident Investigation and Claim Valuation Secrets, Negotiating Liens on Auto Injury Settlements: ERISA and More; Medicare and Medicaid Leins; and Legal Ethics, NBI CLE, 2024; “What Type of Fish did I just Catch”, Identifying Tort Case Types, HCBA CLE, 2023; Navigating Medicare Liens and Set-Asides (and How to Secure a Reduction/Waiver), NBI CLE, 2023; Negotiating ERISA and Non-ERISA Liens, NBI CLE, 2023; and Admissibility of Evidence, Understanding Hearsay, and Keeping Evidence Out at Trial, NBI CLE, 2022.
Professor Susan TannerDr. Susan Tanner is a nationally recognized expert on artificial intelligence in legal education and a leading voice on the intersection of technology, rhetoric, and law. Professor Tanner brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to legal education, holding both a J.D. from Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a Ph.D. in Rhetoric from Carnegie Mellon University. Her dissertation, "The Rhetorical Force of the Law," used corpus and computational linguistics methods to examine the language, genre, and structure of legal opinions, establishing her expertise at the intersection of legal communication and technology.
Before entering academia, Professor Tanner practiced law at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Her diverse professional background also includes legislation and policy work at StudentsFirst and executive roles in marketing and technology startups. |
Ben W. Studdard served as Chief Judge of the State Court of Henry County from its creation in 1999 until his retirement in 2021. A highly respected jurist, educator, and author, he is a frequent lecturer on criminal law and court administration and the author of leading Georgia legal treatises, including Daniel’s Georgia Criminal Law Practice, Daniel’s Georgia Criminal Evidence, and Daniel’s Georgia Criminal Law Practice Forms, published annually by Thomson Reuters West.
Judge Studdard is a former President of the Council of State Court Judges of Georgia and has led numerous statewide initiatives focused on jury reform, judicial selection, strategic planning, and judicial education. From 2017 to 2024, he helped train judges from the country of Georgia through a program sponsored by the United States Department of State. His many honors include the Atlanta Bar Association Professionalism Award, the Ogden Doremus Award, and the 2026 Logan Bleckley Judicial Excellence Award. Judge Studdard earned both his undergraduate and law degrees, cum laude, from Mercer University. 
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Judge Jewel ScottJewel C. Scott was elected to the Superior Court of Clayton County in 2020 and re-elected without opposition in 2024. She brings decades of distinguished legal experience and a lifelong commitment to public service.
Judge Scott made history in 2004 as the first African American woman elected District Attorney in the State of Georgia. As District Attorney for the Clayton County Judicial Circuit, she prosecuted serious felonies, including crimes occurring at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. She established Clayton County’s first Deferred Prosecution Program, which has helped thousands of first-time, nonviolent offenders earn a second chance through rehabilitation and dismissal of charges. Her accomplishments also include achieving a 100 percent murder conviction rate during 2006–2007 and leading a successful Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act action that permanently eliminated illegal massage parlors engaged in prostitution. Judge Scott earned her law degrees from Mercer University School of Law, the University of the West Indies, and the Norman Manley Law School. Born in Mandeville, she is a devoted community leader, former Honorary Consul of Jamaica to Atlanta, and proud mother of two sons. |
Judge Danielle P. RobertsDanielle P. Roberts is a Superior Court Judge for the Flint Judicial Circuit and the first judge in Henry County history to serve on the Magistrate, State, and Superior Courts. An Atlanta native, she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration, magna cum laude, from Howard University and her J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law.
Before joining the bench, Judge Roberts co-founded Axam~Roberts Legal Group, where she practiced criminal defense, civil litigation, and appellate law for ten years. She was appointed to the Henry County Magistrate Court in 2018, becoming the county’s first full-time African American judge, and later became the first African American to serve on the Henry County State Court. During her tenure there, she established the Domestic Violence Accountability Court. Judge Roberts currently presides over the Parental Accountability Court and serves in leadership roles with the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia. A dedicated mentor and longtime mock trial coach, she is actively involved in numerous professional and civic organizations. Judge Roberts is married to Naeem Roberts, an educator, and they have two sons, Joshua and Caleb. 
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Judge Amanda Flora
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Amanda is currently serving as the Presiding Magistrate Judge in Henry County Magistrate Court. Prior to joining the Magistrate Court bench in January 2019, she spent 12 years working in the criminal field as a prosecutor, public defender and an assistant solicitor general. After being offered an opportunity to take the leap into private practice, in 2016 Amanda joined the firm of Pandora E. Palmer, P.C. where she learned the ins and outs of a private practice which focused on domestic, criminal, personal injury, probate and juvenile court. This allowed Amanda to expand her knowledge of the law well beyond the criminal field she had been practicing in for so many years. Amanda currently serves on the Board of Governor’s for the State Bar of Georgia and is in her third term doing so and is currently serving on the legislative committee. She also serves on the Magistrate Court Council, as a District 6 Representative while also serving on the curriculum committee, executive committee and bench book committee. Previously Amanda has served locally for the Henry County Bar Association in the role of President, Vice President, Secretary, and member at large. Her community involvement included serving on the board of directors for Haven House (a domestic violence women’s shelter), Prevent Child Abuse Henry County and the Southern Crescent Sexual Assault Center. Currently she serves as Secretary for the Raise Me Up Foundation in Henry County. She lives in Henry County with her husband, their six year old son, Trevor and their 4 year old Great Pyrenees, Maverick.
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