Amanda N. Heath

The Honorable Amanda N. Heath

Treasurer, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

The Honorable Amanda N. Heath is a Superior Court Judge for the Augusta Judicial Circuit of Georgia. Her jurisdiction covers Burke and Richmond counties, and she presides over civil, domestic and felony criminal cases.  Judge Heath was appointed by Governor Brian P. Kemp on October 13, 2021, and elected by her community in 2022 to continue her service on the Superior Court bench. At the time of her election, Judge Heath was the first African American woman to be elected as a Superior Court Judge in the Augusta Judicial Circuit’s 152-year history.  Judge Heath is currently the only African American female Superior Court Judge and is the youngest judge on her bench by more than a decade. Prior to elevating to the Superior Court bench, Judge Heath served as a Juvenile Court Judge for five years and was the first African American woman to serve in that position for Burke, Columbia and Richmond counties.

As a juvenile court judge, Judge Heath was innovative as she administered justice from the bench. Her goal was to hold children accountable for their actions — not to hold them hostage. In addition, she ensured that families were connected with community resources to reduce the need for child protective services involvement and promote safe and stable families. Judge Heath is passionate about developing and implementing trauma-informed practices to adjudicate cases involving youth who are at high risk or have been exploited through human sex trafficking.

Judge Heath was previously a solo practitioner with a focus on civil, criminal and family law. Prior to opening her law practice, Judge Heath served as an Assistant District Attorney and Trial Team Leader.  She prosecuted violent felonies and argued successfully before the Georgia Supreme Court. Judge Heath also served as the lead prosecutor for Drug Court, Mental Health Court and Veterans Court. Her family taught her “to whom much is given, much will be required” and to take every opportunity to give back to the community through service.

Judge Heath is a graduate of Hampton University and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, summa cum laude in 2007.  She is also a graduate of Hampton’s Freddye T. Davy Honors College and is an alumna of the Concert Choir.  In 2017, Judge Heath was inducted into Hampton’s Top Forty Under Forty Society.

Judge Heath went on to attend law school at Mercer University and received her Juris Doctor degree in 2010 with a Certificate in Advanced Legal Writing, Research and Drafting.  In addition, she received the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Service.  She participated in Mercer’s Habeas Clinic and was inducted into the Order of Barristers. Judge Heath volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and with the Georgia Supreme Court Committee on Access and Fairness in the Courts.  Further, she is a previous Mercer Public Interest Fellow, Georgia Legal Services Dan Bradley Fellow, Gate City Bar Scholar and Otis Redding Scholar.

Judge Heath serves on the Georgia Supreme Court Committee for Justice for Children and on the National Bar Association Judicial Council Executive Committee. She is a graduate of Leadership Augusta and Leadership Georgia. Judge Heath was elected as the first woman and first African American to represent Augusta on the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Georgia.  In 2023, she was elected by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges to serve on the Board of Directors in the position of Treasurer.

Judge Heath has been recognized for her civic engagement as a past recipient of the Georgia CASA Champion Award, NAACP Augusta Branch Champion for Justice Award and the iHeart Media Shero Award for Law and Government for demonstrating a career committed to justice, liberty and fairness to all in the community throughout the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA). In addition, Judge Heath has received the New Bethlehem Community Center Woman of the Year Award, the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division Distinguished Judicial Service Award and highlighted as Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce & Augusta Magazine’s Top 10 in 10 Young Professionals to Watch.

In 2024, she was honored by Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice with the Good Apple Award for leading Georgia’s courts to advance justice and equity for youth and the Perry Broadcasting of Augusta Soul Awakening Public Servant of the Year Award. In 2025, Judge Heath was honored with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Life and Legacy Award and the National Association of University Women Augusta Chapter Citizen of the Year Award for her work in the community. Further, Judge Heath was honored by the National Bar Association as a member of the Centennial Class of the Top Forty Under Forty Nation’s Best Advocates.