Kathy Garner

Kathy L. Garner (born 1959) is a judge for Gadsden County, Florida, and is the county's first black female judge. She has been noted for her work with juvenile cases in the county, and has been credited with helping reduce the number of juvenile arrests and re-offenders.

Biography Kathy L. Garner grew up in Quincy, Florida, and her father was the mayor Pro Tem of Quincy. She attended the Gadsden County Public School System. She received her bachelor's degree from Florida A&M University in criminal justice. She received her Juris Doctor (JD) from the Florida State University College of Law. She is the first black female judge in Gadsden County and was sworn in to her position in December 2009. She was reelected to the seat in 2012, defeating opponents Francis Allman Jr. and Marva A. Davis, with more than 57% of the vote.

Garner was noted in 2016 by The New York Times for her work with juveniles and preventing recidivism in Gadsden County. She was honored as a woman of distinction by the Girl Scout Council in 2017.