Hon. Melanie B. Cross

Judge Melanie B. Cross has served as a Superior Court Judge in the Tifton Judicial Circuit of Georgia since 2009. She was elected to the bench in 2008 and has been re-elected unopposed twice. Prior to her judicial career, Judge Cross practiced law privately in Tifton and served as a Special Assistant Attorney General for more than twelve years. In 2017, she was designated to hear a case before the Georgia Supreme Court. She has presided over high-profile cases, including the Tara Grinstead murder case, where she considered a gag order. Judge Cross is a lifelong resident of Tifton, Georgia, and remains active in her community, attending St. Anne’s Episcopal Church. She holds an Associate Degree in Science from Abraham Baldwin College, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Georgia, and a Juris Doctor from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.