Meet Judge Wanda Dallas
Judge, Professor, and Attorney with Extensive Experience in Problem Solving, Leadership, and Mediation
Justice means different things depending on where you find yourself in this complicated criminal justice system. If you are in court facing a Judge, you want justice to be fair. You want to be seen, and have your particular story heard. You want to invoke the mercy of the court. You want the entirety of your life to be understood. If you or a loved one is a victim of a crime, you want justice to be swift.
JUDGE WANDA DALLAS SPEAKS
Your Path to Self Awareness
Restoring Broken Lives, Motivating Young People,
and Empowering the Community
Restoring Broken Lives
The main reason people are in the court system is because of some level of brokenness.
Motivating Young People
We can reach our young people and teach them about consequences, accountability, and vision.
Empowering the Community
Take an active part in the betterment of the space where you live.
Restoring Broken
Lives
During my numerous years in the practice of law, I have come to realize that the main reason people are in the court system is because of some level of brokenness. Broken homes, broken spirits, and broken dreams.
When I was a prosecutor, for a total of 12 years, my goal in approaching each case was to assist people with recognizing what needed to occur to prevent another appearance in Court. As a defense attorney, I understand wholly what the prosecutor wanted to hear and what the Judge will accept in structuring sentences that address cultural or social inadequacies. In my role of Judge, I expect the prosecutor and defense attorney to work together in a way that speaks to the wholeness of the community, and all parties involved in the conflict.
Motivating young
People
If we can reach our young people and teach them about consequences, accountability, and vision we will be in a much better place. What I have discovered through data and research, is that a large majority of adult offenders have not completed high school. When I served as a Juvenile Court Judge, on a constant basis I recognized in these times of intense social media presence, our youth cannot compete with what they see the world has given value to.
Structure for the Youth
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To be able to sport the newest Nikes or Air Jordans, the newest version of cell phone, or to drive in the nicest car requires money. Not having a high school diploma, much less a college degree, puts our youth at a significant disadvantage, to make the money needed to be socially accepted by their peers. Throughout the entirety of my time on the bench, whenever a young person appears in my courtroom, I begin to assess what is missing in order for them to become competitive and confident.
I will then structure my sentence to include obtaining a high school equivalency, technical school, and or college. I have had countless young people come back and tell me how have changed their lives. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Empowering the Community
Empowering the community requires taking an active part in the betterment of the space where you live. When I was a prosecutor for the Fulton County D.A.’s office, I was able to create a program called Community Prosecution. This program spoke to my strong belief that the only way to heal our community is to bring the various interests together to problem solve. In this space of collective consciousness, I evolved into the person who I am today. Empowerment comes from knowledge, understanding, and commitment. Knowledge of what resources are available, understanding the roles of each member of the community serves, and a commitment to become more cohesive and collaborative.
In the totality of my legal service, I have visited elementary, middle, and high schools in a number of capacities. As a career day participant, graduation speaker, or just a visitor when called upon by school personnel. I have been honored to be a women’s day speaker for a number of churches and organizations as well as being involved in panel discussions for various projects. It is in this manner that I have witnessed first-hand how empowering the community requires sharing the experiences that I have gained by my involvement in the criminal justice system.
Testimonials
CONSULTING SERVICE
Individualized Support
As a judge of 15 years, I have developed a keen ability to listen to conflicts, address problems, and offer solutions to challenges or conflicts based on the best interests of all. As a Consultant, I bring a broad range of expertise to bear in offering sound advice and counsel based on your unique situation. I especially enjoy team building for new or struggling organizations; diversity training to address implicit and explicit biases; and other forms of training tailor-made to fit the needs of your particular organization or business. Strategies are oftentimes more readily accepted when delivered from a neutral party in the form of speaking engagements or conferences. What I have discovered from sitting as a Judge is that oftentimes individuals, who are facing internal and or external conflicts, simply need an objective and skilled person to speak life into their situation. This is what I can provide as your life coach.
