Sandy Springs Municipal Court Judge Sharon Dickson has asked not to be reappointed to the court following a bias controversy over a “bigoted” comment against a man and having a sentence overturned.
Dickson, who also serves on Dunwoody’s court, had a sentence reduced by another judge July 27 in a deal between the city and a defendant who had accused Dickson of bias. Dickson sent a letter to the city asking not to be reappointed, city spokesperson Sharon Kraun said.
She had made statements a Muslim civil rights organization had said were “bigoted” and based on the race of the defendant, Fazial Azizan, an Iranian-American.
All five judges that currently sit on the court are past due for reappointment or replacement. Mayor Rusty Paul is set to make appointments at the next City Council meeting Aug. 7. There are resolutions on the agenda asking for all other four judges to be appointed.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly described the method that changed a sentence imposed by Judge Dickson.