Atlanta, October 16, 2023 – The St. Thomas More Society of Atlanta has awarded Supreme Court Clerk and Court Executive Therese “Tee” Barnes with its St. Thomas More Award for her dedication to public service and the state judiciary.
Mrs. Barnes received the honor at a luncheon on Oct. 12, following the Red Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Atlanta. The Red Mass is a yearly celebration and prayer service for judges that began during the Middle Ages in England. Atlanta’s St. Thomas More Society has embraced this tradition since 1995. The Society also presents the St. Thomas More Award annually to one or more judges or lawyers to “recognize specific actions manifesting a commitment to justice and humanity, especially in difficult circumstances.” The award is given without regard to recipients’ political or religious affiliations.
“We are delighted to award the St. Thomas More Award to Tee Barnes for her years of dedicated public service,” said David Metzger, President of the St. Thomas More Society. “As Clerk during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs. Barnes provided steadfast administrative leadership, supporting the efforts of the Supreme Court and courts statewide to adjust to the pandemic’s unprecedented challenges. Thanks to her commitment and resolve, Georgia’s legal system was able to act quickly and with clarity, giving necessary guidance to judges, lawyers, court staff, and others. Mrs. Barnes is widely acclaimed as the foundation on which the Supreme Court’s efficiency and capabilities depend.”
Mrs. Barnes has served as Clerk of the Supreme Court of Georgia since 2006. She graduated from Mercer University School of Law in 1981, and after graduation, practiced civil business litigation. She later served as a staff attorney to former Justices Carol W. Hunstein and Harold D. Melton before her appointment as Clerk.
“My fellow Justices and I are extremely grateful for the hard work that Mrs. Barnes does—mostly behind the scenes—to support our operations,” said Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs. “She is a guiding hand that keeps our wheels of justice turning, and we are glad that she is being publicly recognized and celebrated for her steadfast commitment.”
Also honored were the Honorable W. Louis Sands, Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia who was presented with the St. Thomas More Award, and Warrick Dunn, former Atlanta Falcon and Founder of Warrick Dunn Charities who was presented with the St. Thomas of Assisi Award.
