A View from the Bench: Wisdom, Humor, and Humanity with Judge Kimberly Childs | LWB Ep-33

What’s it really like to sit on the bench — and what do judges wish lawyers knew?

In this episode of Lawyers Without Billboards, the Shewmaker & Lewis team sits down with Judge Kimberly Childs of Cobb County Superior Court for an honest, funny, and deeply human conversation about the realities of being a judge.

From working as a jail guard during Freaknik to presiding over high-stakes domestic, criminal, and civil cases, Judge Childs shares how every step of her journey shaped her approach to fairness, empathy, and leadership on the bench.

🎙️ Hosts: Steve Shewmaker, Patty Shewmaker, Jimmy Lewis, Alexa Lewis
👩‍⚖️ Guest: Judge Kimberly Childs, Superior Court of Cobb County
👨‍💼 Hosted by: Shewmaker & Lewis — Atlanta attorneys helping families navigate divorce, custody, and criminal defense. No billboards. No BS.

🔍 You’ll Learn:
• How Judge Childs went from jail guard to Georgia State Law graduate
• What judges really think when lawyers argue cases
• Why empathy matters more than ego in the courtroom
• The hidden challenges of balancing criminal and domestic caseloads
• What keeps judges up at night — and what earns lawyers respect
• How Cobb County’s Drug Treatment Court changes lives
• Why humor (and a few Taylor Swift references) can go a long way

📌 Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
01:15 – Meet Judge Kimberly Childs
04:00 – From Jail Guard to the Law Library
07:00 – Law School & Lessons at Georgia State
10:00 – Early Career and Going Solo
13:00 – Running for Judge (and Winning)
18:00 – From Business Litigator to the Bench
24:00 – Inside Cobb County Drug Court
28:00 – What Judges Wish Lawyers Understood
33:00 – Bench Pet Peeves & Lawyer Advice
36:00 – Humor, Humanity, and Taylor Swift
44:00 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

📩 Contact: [email protected]

🌐 Website: https://www.shewmakerandlewis.com

🎧 Podcast Library: https://shewmakerandlewis.com/lawyers...

📺 Subscribe for new episodes and candid conversations about family law, custody, and criminal defense.
🎼 Music by: Ben Hernandez at Dragonsong Productions
🎥 Produced by: Rob Burgner at Bleeding Edge – https://www.bleedingedge.tv