Bench & Bar Reception
Noble remarks
Comments from the Hon. John J. Goger on The Hon. Cynthia
D. Wright, Recipient of the Logan E. Bleckley Award
G
ood evening everyone and welcome. I look forward
to this event every year. The Bleckley Award for
Judicial Excellence recognizes in the judge selected,
the premium which the Bar places on judicial integrity,
professionalism and a career dedicated to doing the right
thing. The celebration of a life’s work by one’s profession
is always a special event. When the career involves the
resolution of civil, criminal and family disputes within the
community, the impact of that effort can be life-changing for
so many lives. It is high praise for the judge so honored
and an inspiration for the judiciary at large. Marvin Shoob;
Robert Benham; Phyllis Kravitch; Charlie Carnes; Jack
Ruffin; and Bill Daniel, are just a few of the 23 judges that
have been recognized with this award for their “dedication
and outstanding public service.” The Litigation Section of
the Atlanta Bar Association has once again selected for this
honor, an exceptional person who also happens to be a
distinguished jurist. Consider a few of the highlights from
the career of Judge Cynthia Wright.
She finished high school and college, graduating with honors in
just six years. She served as an intern to Senator Sam Nunn,
then worked in Jimmy Carter’s successful New Hampshire
presidential primary campaign. Following law school, she
was a research assistant with the Carl Vinson Institute of
Government. She worked at the law firm of Troutman Sanders
and later became a partner in the law firm of Carlew, Smith
and Wright. She served as Governor Busbee’s assistant
legal counsel and then as Chief Counsel to then Governor
Zell Miller. During her time with Governor Miller, she authored
the legislation and constitutional amendment that established
the Lottery for Education. She was appointed to the bench in
1995. I will also tell you that every time I read her résumé, I
hear this voice in the back of my head saying: “Cindy Wright
does not always drink beer, but when she does, she prefers
Dos Equis. She is the world’s most interesting woman.”
A good trial judge is typically blessed with an abundance of
common sense, an even temperament, hopefully a sense of
humor and the sort of patience we find only in the Book of
Job, and it is in the Family Court where the temperament,
14 THE ATLANTA LAWYER
June/July 2014
judgment and the discretion of a judge is put to the ultimate
test, day in and day out. Cindy served there for 12 years.
When the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia
awarded her the Jack P. Turner Professionalism Award for
“outstanding contributions and achievement” in family law,
this is what they had to say: Judge Wright is “a no-nonsense
judge with unflinching integrity; a judge who treats attorneys,
parties, and witnesses with absolute respect, uncommon
courtesy, and total impartiality; and, a judge who knows the
law and applies it fairly.” Cindy served as the Chief Judge
of Fulton County Superior Court from 2009 until she stepped
down from that position earlier this year.
A few of her friends have agreed to share with us some
memories which capture the spirit we are honoring tonight:
From Mark Cohen, Esq.:
“Anyone who has known Cindy as long as I have (which is over
20 years) knows that one of Cindy’s biggest passions is buying
new cars, and not just new cars, but fast and sporty cars. I
can recall times when a year did not go by without seeing a
new BMW convertible or Audi TT in her driveway. In fact, no
less an authority than the Fulton County Daily Report once did
a bio on Cindy with the headline, “Chief Judge Has Need for
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association