Georgia CommonsSR 79: Beasley, Judge Dorothy Toth; condolences
Last action February 3, 2025 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Georgia Senate resolution honors the life of Judge Dorothy Toth Beasley, the first woman to serve on the Georgia Court of Appeals, following her death in May 2024.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This resolution is a formal statement from the Georgia Senate marking the death of Judge Dorothy Toth Beasley on May 19, 2024. It recounts her life, from her birth in New Jersey in 1937 through her legal education and career, including arguing cases before the United States Supreme Court, serving as the first female judge of the Fulton County State Court, and becoming the first woman appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1984 and its first female chief judge in 1995. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It simply expresses the Senate's condolences and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to Judge Beasley's family.
What the bill does
- Formally expresses the Georgia Senate's regret at the death of Judge Dorothy Toth Beasley and honors her life and career.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to Beasley's family.
- Creates no new law, funding, or penalty; it is a ceremonial statement rather than a change to the Georgia Code.
Who it affects
The resolution directly names Judge Dorothy Toth Beasley's family, who will receive a copy, and reflects on her impact on the Georgia judiciary, the Fulton County State Court, the Georgia Court of Appeals, and the Georgia Office of the Attorney General where she once worked.
Why it matters
The resolution carries no legal or financial effect but serves as an official record of the Georgia Senate's recognition of a judge who broke barriers in the state's court system, providing a lasting tribute for her family and the legal community.
Key provisions
- The resolution recounts Beasley's biography, including her 1984 appointment by Governor Joe Frank Harris as the first woman on the Georgia Court of Appeals.
- It notes she became the Court of Appeals' first female chief judge in 1995 and was the first female judge of the Fulton County State Court.
- The resolving clause has the Senate join in honoring her memory and expressing condolences.
- A further clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to her family.
From the bill
“the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of Judge Dorothy Toth Beasley on May 19, 2024”
“she was appointed by then-Governor Joe Frank Harris as the first woman on the Georgia Court of Appeals, becoming the state's first female appellate judge”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
- Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
- Emanuel Jones (D, SD-010)
- Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
- Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
- Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
- Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
- Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
- Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
- Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
- Max Burns (R, SD-023)
- Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
- Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
- Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
- Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
- Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
- Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
- Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
- Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)
- David Lucas (D, SD-026)
- Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
- Nikki Merritt (D, SD-009)
- Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
- Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
- Nabilah Islam Parkes (D, SD-007)
- Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
Topics
- Georgia judiciary
- condolence resolution
- Georgia Court of Appeals
- women in law