Judge Janine Hunt-Hilliard was elected as the Presiding Judge of Jefferson County Family Court (Circuit Court Judge, Place 18) on November 6, 2018. She took office on January 15, 2019. As Presiding Judge of Family Court, she endeavors to appropriately and fairly apply the law to each case she handles. Additionally, she works diligently to improve the operations of the Court so that it runs effectively and efficiently. She collaborates with community organizations to ensure that the children and families who come to Family Court are provided an opportunity to address the underlying issues that brought them to the Court, thereby improving their lives.
Judge Hunt-Hilliard earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Delaware. In 1996 she was awarded her Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law, and subsequently received a Master of Business Administration from Howard University School of Business. She was admitted to the Maryland State Bar, the California State Bar and the Alabama State Bar. Judge Hunt-Hilliard practiced law for over twenty years prior to taking office.
Judge Hunt-Hilliard is the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Jefferson County Family Resource Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing a safe, centralized, easily accessible resource center to serve our families in need. She is also an adoptive parent and an advocate for fostering/adoption. She serves on the Board of Directors for Heart Gallery Alabama, which is dedicated to finding forever families for children in Alabama’s foster care system. Judge Hunt-Hilliard is focused on positively impacting the lives of children and families, both at Family Court and within our community.