Glenda Hatchett
Nobody gets results like Judge Glenda Hatchett. A visionary on the bench, she is renowned for her unique way of determining justice for thousands of today’s youth in an innovative yet authoritative manner.
Nobody gets results like Judge Glenda Hatchett. A visionary on the bench, she is renowned for her unique way of determining justice for thousands of today’s youth in an innovative yet authoritative manner. Known for her popular, award-winning, nationally syndicated show, Judge Hatchett, she has been lauded for her creative sentencing and powerful administration of justice. With a groundbreaking approach to courtroom television, she delivered revolutionary interventions where litigants “do time” with successful community leaders and professionals from the workforce, social activism, public service, and athletics.
The recipient of numerous awards and accolades, Judge Hatchett was recognized as Outstanding Jurist of the Year by the National Bar Association after only her first year on the bench. In 2003, the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) deemed her their National Spokesperson. She is the recipient of the NAACP Thurgood Marshall Award and founded the Truancy Intervention Project, which enlists the help of legal volunteers to provide early intervention with truants.
Ever the dedicated professional, Judge Hatchett declares her most important accomplishment is the ability to positively impact the lives of troubled youth and their families. She is the author of Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say: 7 Simple Strategies to Help Our Children Along the Path to Purpose and Possibility, and Dare To Take Charge, published in 2010. Nationally recognized as an expert on juvenile and social issues, Judge Hatchett speaks with authority on saving the generations of today and the future. With compassion and credibility, she affirms that her brand of justice matters for all.
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A Promise to Keep
Judge Glenda Hatchett was Georgia’s first African-American chief presiding judge of a state court, and the department head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country. Her prayer “”God, please give me the strength to move my energy from grieving for the children you put before me to helping them”” fortifies her daily. Judge Hatchett has had to contend with the grim reality behind these somber statistics: in the past ten years the violent crime rate for those under 18 has grown by more than 60%, while the number of child abuse and neglect cases has doubled. To battle the social ills behind these numbers–poverty, single parent households and families entrenched in a culture of substance abuse–Judge Hatchett has gone beyond her responsibilities as a jurist. She has created many innovative programs to steer young people from troubled lives. Nationally recognized as an authority on juvenile and social issues and outspoken advocate for children everywhere, Judge Hatchett speaks passionately on what we all need to do to save this and future generations. Her presentations remind us that we need to protect our youth to insure our future.
- Juvenile Justice: Reforms or Regrets?
- The Price of Urban Violence
- There’s a Desperate Cry in the Land Among Our Children
- Dare to Take Charge: How to Live & Lead with Purpose
Full Biography
After graduating from Emory University School of Law and completing a coveted clerkship in the U.S. Federal Courts, Glenda Hatchett accepted a position at Delta Air Lines, as the company’s highest-ranking African-American woman. She served in dual roles as a senior attorney for Delta, litigating cases in federal courts throughout the country, and Manager of Public Relations, supervising global crisis management, and media relations for all of Europe, Asia and the United States. In fact, her outstanding contributions were recognized by Ebony Magazine, which named Glenda Hatchett one of the “100 Best and Brightest Women in Corporate America.” She made the difficult decision to leave Delta Air Lines in order to accept an appointment as Chief Presiding Judge of the Fulton County, Georgia Juvenile Court.
Upon accepting the position, Glenda Hatchett became Georgia’s first African-American Chief Presiding Judge of a state court and the department head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country. Glenda Hatchett is a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College and has been recognized as a distinguished alumni and awarded an honorary degree by the college. She also attended Emory University School of Law and because of her commitment to excellence and service within the community, Glenda was awarded the Emory Medal, the highest award given to an alum by the university. Currently, Glenda Hatchett presides over the syndicated show, “Judge Hatchett” currently in its 8th season (Sony Pictures Television), and is author of the national best-seller, “Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say” (HarperCollins). She has previously served on the Board of Directors of Gap, Inc. the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), and The Service Master Company.
Presently, Glenda Hatchett is a board member of the Atlanta Falcons Football Organization and serves on the Board of Advisors for Play Pumps International. She also serves on the Boys and Girls Clubs of America National Board of Governors and she resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her two sons.