Chief Judge Gary W. Washington
Born and raised in New York City, Judge Washington studied clarinet at Manhattan Preparatory School of Music on Scholarship, and graduated from New York’s famous High School of Music and Art.
After completing his early education, Judge Washington went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Political Science and a minor in Music Education from Ohio Wesleyan University. He received his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law in New Jersey where he served as one of the first two African American editors for the Rutgers Law Review. He also completed advanced trial skills training and education at the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in Wyoming.
Judge Washington began his legal career as a judicial law clerk for his mentor and renowned civil rights attorney, the late and Honorable Matthew J. Perry, Federal District Court Judge for the District of South Carolina. Judge Washington later worked as a staff attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Judge Washington has also worked as a senior attorney in the Fulton County Public Defender’s Office and the Georgia Appellate Resource Center. The Georgia Appellate Resource Center was an organization that rendered assistance to death-sentenced inmates in obtaining post-conviction relief in state and federal courts.
In 2021, Judge Washington was elected Rockdale County Probate Court Judge, having previously served as Rockdale County’s first Associate Judge in the same court. He was also appointed to the Rockdale Judicial Circuit Public Defender Supervisory Council in 2022 by Governor Brian Kemp.
Judge Washington is licensed to practice law in Georgia and South Carolina and has more than 30 years litigation experience. He is admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit; U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, Supreme Court of Georgia, Georgia Court of Appeals, and Georgia Superior and State Courts.
Throughout his career, Judge Washington has also been deeply committed to education and community outreach. He has taught at the National Criminal Defense College, lectured for the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and coaches the Heritage High School Mock Trial Team. Judge Washington has also conducted numerous “Know Your Rights” workshops in Rockdale County and throughout the nation on topics such as “Act Like a Citizen. Think Like a Cop” and “Youth and The Law: What Young People Don’t Know That Can Land Them in Jail.” He also served as Chair of the Conyers-Rockdale Library System Board of Trustees, where he worked to expand the library’s legal research resources and initiate the highly popular Law Speaker Series.
Judge Washington is a member of several professional organizations, including the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia, the Rockdale County Bar Association, the Georgia Bar Association, the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, the South Carolina Bar Association, and the NewRock Legal Society.
Judge Washington and his wife, Evetta, have been married for 29 years and they have an adult daughter. The Washingtons are members of Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church and the Rockdale County branch of the NAACP.
Judge Gary Washington says his legal career has been Dedicated to making the law a better tool of Justice.
Associate Judge Katherine C. Thompson
Judge Katherine C. Thompson serves as Associate Judge of the Rockdale County Probate Court, where she presides over matters involving estates, guardianships, and conservatorships. Appointed in November 2025, she brings over a decade of legal experience and a deep commitment to public service.
Judge Thompson earned her Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science, summa cum laude, from Georgia State University in 2008, and her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 2013. In law school, Judge Thompson was a member of the Mercer Law Review, earned a certificate in Advanced Legal Writing, Research, and Drafting, and received the CALI award for the highest score in Legal Research. She is a proud member of the State Bar of Georgia.
Her legal career began as a staff attorney for the Henry County Probate Court (2013–2016), followed by years in private practice. She is currently the Managing Partner of Arnold & Thompson, P.C., where she maintains a private practice focused on probate and estate matters. In addition to her private practice, Judge Thompson serves as County Administrator and County Conservator for Henry County Probate Court, a role she also held in Rockdale County Probate Court prior to her appointment to the bench. Her judicial philosophy is grounded in efficiency and compassion, with a focus on helping families navigate complex and emotional legal processes.
Outside the courtroom, Judge Thompson is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of legal professionals. She coaches a local high school mock trial team through the State Bar of Georgia’s High School Mock Trial Program and is actively engaged in community outreach. She enjoys spending time with her family and her English Springer Spaniel.