Remembering Judge Sammy Jones

A lifelong resident of Fairburn, Sanford “Sammy” Jones will be remembered for his dedication to children:

Friday, Nov. 30, 1984: Jones, then a state court administrator, is defeated by Al Thompson, a Magistrate Court judge, in an election for Fulton County State Court judge by 231 votes.

Jan. 1985: Jones is unanimously elected vice president of the Fulton County school board. He served on the board for five years. In February 1987, he is re-elected vice president.

June 1988: Jones is appointed administrator of the Fulton County Superior Courts, after serving as State Court administrator for nine years.

Oct. 1988: Jones resigns from the school board, citing “personal reasons”.

Dec. 1991: Jones is chosen from 52 candidates to be a Fulton juvenile court judge.

May 1999: Jones is appointed chief judge of the state’s largest juvenile court. He held the post until May 2002.

2001-2002: Jones presides over hearings involving alleged abuse of 41 children at the House of Prayer, a northwest Atlanta church.

2004: Jones hears more than 400 cases of child abuse or exploitation

March 2005: Rowland Barnes, a personal friend of Jones, is gunned down by Brian Nichols in a Fulton County courtroom. Jones performed Barnes’ wedding to his wife, Claudia.

July 2006: Jones and Judge Belinda Edwards start My Brother’s Keeper, a youth mentoring program that serves delinquent, neglected or deprived children who come before the court.

Nov. 17, 2007: Jones addresses 30 children and their new parents at the Romae T. Powell Juvenile Justice Center on Pryor Street on National Adoption Day.

— Compiled by Alexis Stevens /apstevens@ajc.com