Rockdale County honors Maureen E. Wood, county’s first African American Superior Court Judge

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA –Rockdale County is celebrating a milestone during Black History Month by honoring Judge Maureen E. Wood, who made history as the county’s first African American Superior Court Judge. 

Wood was elected to the bench in May 2024, marking a significant step forward in Rockdale’s judicial landscape.

“I was raised in a family where education and servant leadership were commonplace,” Judge Wood shared. “I am truly honored to be Rockdale County’s first African American Superior Court Judge, and I stand on the shoulders of my family and the many leaders who came before me.”

Wood grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and hails from a family deeply rooted in the Civil Rights Movement. Her grandfather, Robert W. Scales, made history as the first African American elected to the Murfreesboro City Council and the first African American Vice Mayor. Her grandmother, Mary C. Scales, also broke barriers as the first African American elected to the Murfreesboro City Council and was the first African American professor at Middle Tennessee State University.

Wood completed her undergraduate work at Spelman College in Atlanta and earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee. She met her husband, David, while she was at Spelman and he was attending Morehouse College.  After law school, Wood entered private practice with her husband. In 2016, she was appointed by then-Chief Superior Court Judge David B. Irwin as Rockdale’s first African American Juvenile Court Judge, a position she held for two 4-year terms. 

Wood is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the Rockdale Bar Association, and is a founding member of the Newrock Legal Scociety, which educates lawyers and community members to ensure justice is administered fairly. 

Wood joins a distinguished group of African Americans who have made their mark on Rockdale County’s courts. In 2012, Phinia Aten became the first African American Magistrate Court Judge; and Charles Mays became the first African American Probate Court Judge. In 2021, Clarence Cuthpert, Jr. was appointed as the County’s first African American State Court Judge.

Reflecting on her journey, Judge Wood hopes to inspire the next generation of leaders

“It’s about standing for the community, making decisions that serve everyone fairly and justly,” she said. “And it’s about ensuring that the next generation sees that their dreams are possible, regardless of their background.”