DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Judge Courtney Johnson’s office window overlooks Decatur from the DeKalb County Courthouse, not far from Saint Thomas More, where she went to kindergarten. A judge since 2011, Johnson, 52, has made decisions that have shaped the lives of thousands of DeKalb County residents. She’s presided over murder trials, child custody battles, contract disputes and more. In her role, she oversees the accountability court, which includes a drug court to keep people with substance dependencies out of prison. When people appear before her, she always tries to remember that, no matter what they are accused of, they are still human and worthy of respect. “You always hope that there is a possibility for redemption for people,” Johnson said. Johnson wields immense power with little fanfare. She seldom grabs headlines. The people who work with her every day describe her as knowledgeable and down-to-earth. They said she is hardworking and has a firm command of the law. “When you’re with Judge Johnson, you realize she's an everyday person,” Johnson’s Civil Litigation Manager Sharronda Blackman said. “It’s not like she dropped from heaven and is sitting on the bench. That is not her. So she’s very relatable, and I think on the civil and criminal side, I think people can feel that from her, that she understands. You know, she gets it.” Johnson grew up in DeKalb County. While she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University, she completed her law degree at Emory…
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