Addressing a crowd of supporters under the smoldering sun in the courtyard of The Beach Institute African Cultural Center, Recorder's Court Judge Tammy Stokes kicked off her campaign for Chatham County Superior Court Judge.
"The fact is, our court system touches the lives of each of us, Each one of us, every day," Stokes said in brief remarks during the Tuesday morning event. "Every citizen of Chatham County deserves respect and dignity when navigating with the court system."
In June, Stokes told the Savannah Morning News she was running to fill the seat vacated by Judge Louisa Abbot, who is retiring after her term. Stokes has spent 17 years in Recorder’s Court and was appointed chief judge in 2012. She is the first Black woman judge in the county. She is running unopposed.
Stokes, a Beach High School alum, said Tuesday that becoming Superior Court Judge was the best thing she could do for the community that raised her.
"At this time of my life, and with the level of experience I have, it just seems like the smart thing for me to do," she said. "I can best serve the community in this way."
Stokes told the SMN in June she began to seriously consider running for the judgeship after her parents died six months apart in 2020. Stokes has already earned early supporters in Chatham County Sheriff John Wilcher and former Savannah mayor Otis Johnson, with both touting her fairness on the bench during her tenure in Recorder's Court.
"She's very intelligent, and she's a people's person and she understands the law," Wilcher said, "and I think she'll do a great job for this community."
One concern Wilcher hopes gets handled in the court system is the backlog of cases, in part due to the pandemic.
"The courts needs to get back to normal — if it's ever gonna be normal — to where we can track cases in the jail and the inmates don't have to stay there as long," he told the Savannah Morning News. "I know all the judges now that are sitting on the bench are doing everything they can to do it. I think [Tammy] will follow in their footsteps and become a good leader."
Stokes briefly addressed the backlog during a media interview, saying "I just want to get in there and do all that I can. COVID has wreaked havoc on all of the court systems in every system that there is. I want to get in and do my part."
Johnson was mayor when Stokes was appointed chief judge of recorder's court and said Stokes has "the right judicial temperament."
"She has a background that should say that justice should prevail in all instances, and I'll be supporting her because I believe she'll be fair," he said.
Raisa is a Watchdog and Investigative Reporter for The Savannah Morning News. Contact her at rhabersham@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Chatham sheriff, former Savannah mayor early endorsers of Tammy Stokes as superior court judge
The Latest
Featured
