Abouge Judge Penny

The Honorable Penny Brown Reynolds

Bringing an authentic new voice to daytime television, and an inspiring new perspective to the court show genre, the Honorable Penny Brown Reynolds presides over the freshman court series, Family Court with Judge Penny, drawing on her legal and personal background to address the conflicts faced by families in America.

As one of four daughters raised by a single mother in the South, Judge Penny’s life of hardship and poverty has proven to be a success story like no other and her life truly epitomizes the realization of the American Dream. Judge Penny never knew her father and grew up watching her mother being abused and marginalized.  Judge Penny’s mother, Deforest, did not have any wealth to leave her daughter, but all throughout her life she taught life lessons which stands as the cornerstone of Judge Penny’s success today. Judge Penny endured many of the abuses she watched her mother live through.

Judge Penny was taught that education was her only way out of poverty and a life of oppression. With that incredible lesson itched in the deep recesses of her consciousness, as a single mother herself, Judge Penny sat out to get her education and embark on her dream of becoming a lawyer. One day, she packed all of her belongings in a car and left her life in Louisiana and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. She soon found employment working three jobs with her focus of getting an education. She excelled academically every step of the way and has gone on to earn three degrees.

Judge Penny Brown Reynolds received her Bachelor of Science, Cum Laude, from Georgia State University after only “three years” of study, graduating with honors in the top 5% of her class; all while holding down two jobs, one of which was a temporary position as a night cleaning woman.  She received her Juris Doctor degree from Georgia State University College of Law. Additionally, she was presented the Georgia State University Outstanding Student Award, the University’s highest student award and the Outstanding Female Law Student Award. Upon entering law school, Judge Penny knew in her heart she longed to be a judge as a means of legitimizing the life she so longed for.  She felt that this was a way of righting all the wrongs ever done to her mother.

Upon graduation, her life of hardship was almost in the past.  Judge Penny obtained a prestigious position as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Georgia, one of only five African Americans to hold such a position. In addition, she is a former prosecutor and served as legal counsel and a member of the Georgia Commission on Women. She is the author and co-editor of, Women and the Law: A Guide to Women’s Legal Rights in Georgia. She has and continues to be a champion for the rights of women in all areas of their lives.

The Honorable Penny Brown Reynolds went on to achieve a distinguished position in Georgia’s history. Prior to her appointment on the trial court bench, she served as Executive Counsel to Governor Roy Barnes, making her the first African American in Georgia’s history to hold that position. She also served as the first African American Chief of Staff and Executive Counsel to Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor Pierre Howard.  Both Ebony and Jet magazines recognized her for these historic accomplishments.

Following her tenure as the Governor’s Executive Counsel, Judge Penny was appointed to the trial court bench as judge in the State Court of Fulton County. She was appointed in 2000 and was re-elected to a third four year term unopposed.  While on the bench, she handled pharmaceutical malpractices cases, serving as the only state court judge to handle the diet drug litigation in the state. She presided over contract, personal injury, medical malpractice cases, as well as domestic violence, criminal matters and D.U.I. cases.

After eight years on the trial court bench, Judge Penny retired with a record like no other jurist in the State of Georgia. Judge Penny left a legacy of never being reversed by an appellant court on any criminal matter and only reversed on a handful of civil cases. She ran an efficient court where her case load was always current.

In addition, Judge Penny has lectured at numerous colleges and universities and serves as a television commentator on nationally syndicated broadcasts and is currently a CNN contributor.

Her academic career did not end with Judge Penny's assent to the bench. After the death of her mother and a search to find peace from her life of hardship and poverty, she entered seminary as a full time divinity student; while serving as a full time trial court judge. In May of 2008, Judge Penny graduated from the prestigious Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia, with a Masters Degree in Theology, with Highest Honors as she finished first in her graduating class, maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Judge Penny says her success can only be attributed to never allowing herself to be called a victim. She has an unwavering faith that she has been called in life to serve as an example of what God can do in the life of an individual who works hard and refuses to believe that failure is ever an option. Judge Penny says her greatest accomplishment is her legacy of service as she created, nine years ago, The Judge Penny Brown Reynolds Scholarship Fund for underprivileged college bound seniors. She recently launched The Judge Penny Brown Reynolds Foundation, Inc. with a mission of restoring families in America. She believes Family Court with Judge Penny allows for a national conversation about the value of family and the difficult issues surrounding families today.

Judge Penny Brown Reynolds is admitted to practice law in the State of Georgia. She is also among a handful of judges in Georgia who are certified and licensed as a Mediator.  Judge Penny is a member of numerous bar associations, including the American, National, Georgia, Gate City, Atlanta, Sandy Springs and North Fulton Bar Associations.  She is a member of the League of Women Voters, the National Association of Women Judges and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Judge Penny is the former President of the Georgia Chapter of the International Women’s Forum, she serves on the Executive Board of the NAACP, Atlanta Chapter.

Currently Judge Penny is CEO of Divine Destiny Productions, LLC and is Chairman of the Board of The Judge Penny Brown Reynolds Foundation, Inc., a foundation dedicated to the restoration of the family.

Judge Reynolds has been recognized by Women Looking Ahead News Magazine as Georgia’s 2008-2009 Woman of the Year. Judge Penny has achieved numerous national recognitions and awards for all her professional and academic achievements.

The judge, history maker, entrepreneur, author, ordained minister, preacher, keynote speaker, and national television commentator has lived a life that makes us all proud.  She truly has a story to tell as she presides over Family Court with Judge Penny. She is a much sought after speaker with her dynamic delivery rooted in the life that she has lived.  When you listen to her speak, you are instantly moved and inspired in ways that can only be a testament to what this woman has gone through to get where she is today.

She is committed to service where she serves as Associate Minister with her husband, Reverend Edward S. Reynolds, pastor, Midway Missionary Baptist Church, College Park, Georgia. Named by the Atlanta Tribune Magazine as one of Atlanta’s five “Power Couples, they are the proud parents of two grown sons, Michael and Fela and a three year old granddaughter, Pelly-Marie.

Judge Penny Brown Reynolds’ success story and life is what dreams are made of.