After nearly 25 years on the bench at Richmond County State Court, Judge David Watkins has announced that he will retire and not seek reelection in 2022. On the heels of the announcement, local attorney and part-time state court officer Ashanti Lilley Pounds announced she will run for the vacant seat.
Pounds, a graduate of Emory University School of Law, has practiced law in Augusta for 11 years.
Originally a private sector family law and criminal defense attorney, Pounds served briefly for two years in the public defender’s office and later moved to a job as a prosecutor with the Richmond County Solicitor’s Office.
Currently, Pounds maintains her private practice and also acts as a compliance officer for the Accountability Court.
“I do have a broad range of experience within State Court and Superior Court, and I think that does give me an advantage because I know how the courts operate,” Pounds said.
Unlike Superior Court, State Court handles primarily misdemeanor offenses, often involving drug or alcohol abuse.
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Pounds said she came on board with State Court just as Judge Watkins was establishing Accountability Court and gained hands-on experience helping build the court.
Accountability Court was set up as a means to lower recidivism as many of the offenders’ drug and alcohol addictions are the core reason they tend to reoffend. According to Pounds, Accountability Court not only punishes unlawful behavior but attempts to address the addiction issues by providing programs to recovery.
Since its inception, the court has expanded to include a Veterans Court, a DUI Court and a mental health program.
Pounds says that she is particularly proud of the Fresh Start Bench Warrant Program, which gives an individual with an active bench warrant for not showing up for their court date the ability to surrender themselves to the court to avoid being arrested or have their driver’s license suspended.
According to Pounds, the more holistic approach to justice through the Accountability Court has eased backlogs in the system and lowered recidivism rate across the board.
Pounds admits that should she win the election, she will have big shoes to fill.
“Judge Watkins is a staple of this community, and he has certainly inspired me,” Pounds said.
The election will be on May 24, 2022.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
