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Georgia Supreme Court Justice
Shawn Ellen LaGrua has been a Justice on the Supreme Court of Georgia since January
7, 2021. Prior to her appointment, Justice LaGrua served as a Superior Court Judge in the Atlanta Judicial
Circuit. She served as Inspector General for the Georgia Secretary of State and has over 20 years of trial
experience serving as Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney in DeKalb and Fulton Counties, and Chief
Assistant District Attorney in the Tallapoosa Circuit. Additionally, she served as the Solicitor General for
DeKalb County.
While on the bench in Fulton County, Justice LaGrua initiated and presided over “My Journey Matters,” a pilot
accountability program designed to divert young offenders from a lifetime of incarceration. In 2016, Justice
LaGrua received the St. Thomas Moore Award from the St. Thomas Moore Society in recognition of “specific
actions manifesting a commitment to justice and humanity, especially in difficult circumstances” related in part
to her formation of and continued commitment to the My Journey Matters Program. She currently serves as the
Chair of the Chief Justice’s COVID-19 Task Force, co-chair of the Judicial Council Standing Committee on
Technology, liaison to the Judicial Workload Assessment Committee, advisor to the Ad Hoc Committee on
Judicial Emergency Preparedness Council, member of the Judicial Nominating Committee, and member of the
Child Support Commission.
Justice LaGrua was recently inducted into Georgia State University College of Law Order of the Barristers. She
is also a Master of the Logan E. Bleckley Inn of Court and Lamar Inn of Court. She is a founding member and
past Chair of the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, Judicial Application Review Committee. She is also
the past president of the Council of Superior Court Judges.
After graduating from the University of Georgia, Justice LaGrua received her Juris Doctorate from the Georgia
State University College of Law. She is married to husband Chris and has two step-sons and two Bernese
Mountain dogs.
