Courtroom 7100
Katie Waters, Judicial Administrative Specialist
(770) 528-1822
(770) 528-8141 (Fax)
Cynthia Patton, Staff Attorney
(770) 528-1857
Pamela Lewis, Court Reporter
(770) 528-1856
Tammy Birchell, Judicial Calendar Coordinator - Civil and Domestic Matters ONLY
(770) 528-1887
Court Forms
Boykin Form
Professional Background
Judge Ann Harris was elected to the Superior Court of the Cobb Judicial Circuit in July of 2014 and was re-elected without opposition in 2018 and 2022. In addition to managing a full docket of criminal, domestic and civil matters, Judge Harris presides over Cobb County’s Mental Health and Parental Accountability Courts. The latter is an award-winning programmatic alternative to incarceration that seeks to transform chronic non-payers of child support into self-sufficient financially supportive parents through education, substance abuse treatment, and job assistance and placement. Over the past six years, Judge Harris has been participating in a cooperative effort with the Republic of Georgia to promote the independence of the Georgian justice system and strengthen the rule of law in that country by assisting their judiciary in court and jury trial management. She currently serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the Council of Superior Court Judges and is the Chair of the CSCJ Pattern Jury Instructions Committee. She is also a member of the Weltner Family Law Inn of Court.
Prior to her election to the bench, Judge Harris served the people of Cobb County as an assistant district attorney for 19 years. In addition to prosecuting all types of serious felony offenses, she helped draft the first human trafficking laws in Georgia in 2006 and was a member of the regional human trafficking task force. Prior to her legal career, Judge Harris worked for several years as a senior consultant with an international information services consulting firm.
She earned her law degree from Vanderbilt University and her bachelor’s degree from Auburn University. She just finished a two-year term as Chair of the Board of Directors of MUST Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting homeless and struggling families and individuals with housing, food, clothing, employment and other needs. She and her husband Jim, both devoted Auburn fans, have been married for 37 years and live in Smyrna with their two rescue dogs Bert & Willie.
Business Experience
Prior to her legal career, Judge Harris worked for several years as a senior consultant with Andersen Consulting, an international management consulting and technology services company (now operating as Accenture), where she managed the functional review and analysis of business information needs for clients in a variety of industries, and directed the development and implementation of integrated software solutions. She then joined Atlanta-based Equifax, where she managed the Information Systems Audit Department in reviewing the security and effectiveness of software systems supporting the company’s operations.
Civic Involvement
Judge Harris is active in the Cobb community. She serves on the Board of Directors of MUST Ministries, a volunteer-driven organization serving those in need across Cobb and Cherokee Counties. She is also a longtime member of the Smyrna Optimist Club, where she is a past president and member of the board of directors, chair of several committees and recipient of the Service to the Community Award. She is a 2004 graduate of Leadership Cobb and has been an active member of Cobb’s Honorary Commanders Association since 2012. She has served as an attorney-coach for Campbell High School Mock Trial Team and as a judge for the Georgia High School Regional Mock Trial Competition. Judge Harris is a member of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, as well as several business associations in the county.
Judge Harris is originally from Birmingham, Alabama. She and her husband Jim have been married for 32 years and live in Smyrna with their two rescue dogs Willie and Bert.