History Maker: Ana Maria Martinez is Georgia’s First Latina State Court Judge and She Serves in DeKalb County.

Judge Ana María Martinez received her J.D., cum laude and with Pro Bono distinction, from the Georgia State University College of Law in 2009. Her litigation experience includes the areas of consumer warranty law, premises liability, professional liability, products liability, general personal injury defense, and employment law. She has served as the staff attorney for the Hon. Dax E. López in the State Court of DeKalb County. Originally from Colombia, South America, Ms. Martinez is fluent in English and Spanish. She received her B.B.A., cum laude, in Marketing from The University of Georgia in 2004. While at UGA, she was Vice-President of Professional Development and Public Relations of Alpha Kappa Psi, Professional Business Fraternity.

Ana Maria dedicates her time outside of work to various legal and community organizations. She has served on the boards of the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association, the Multi-Bar Leadership Council, Judge Clarence Cooper American Inn of Court, and the DeKalb Bar Association, as well as in many State Bar committees. She is also the co-founder of the Georgia Latino Law Foundation (“GLLF”), an organization created in 2015 to increase diversity in the legal profession by supporting the Latino legal community. The GLLF focuses on educating and empowering Latinos/as with an interest in the law.

In 2022, Ana Maria made history when she became the first Latina ever to serve on a State Court in Georgia. She operates the only fully bilingual English/Spanish DUI Court in the state. She and her husband Mario are the proud parents of two great daughters.