A dynamic duo!
Two Maryland judges are making history as the first pair of sisters in the state to serve on the bench, WUSA 9 reports.
Daneeka Varner Cotton and Donnaka Varner Lewis are the first pair of sisters in Maryland to serve as judges. Daneeka serves as an associate judge for the Prince George’s County circuit court, and her sister Donnaka is an associate judge for the district court of Maryland.
They are the first pair of sisters in the state’s history to serve simultaneously on the bench.
The sisters said they enjoy having each other there as support.
“It’s so nice to walk into the courthouse and have my sister here too,” Varner Cotton said.
The Varner family includes three children born to George Mount and Linda Varner Mount. The oldest, Varner Cotton, followed by her brother, Dr. Geoffrey Mount Varner, an emergency room physician, and the youngest sister Varner Lewis.
Their mother, Linda, is a retired Agriculture Department employee with a doctorate in education, emphasizing personnel management. She told reporters that instilling determination in her children to work toward their goals early was critical to their success.
“One of the most important lessons I taught and demonstrated to my children — even when you confront difficult situations in life, you find the courage to power through them to achieve your goals,” Varner Mount said.
The three siblings are all graduates of Hampton University, a historically Black college located in Virginia. Both sisters received their Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law.
Their collective accomplishments have made their family and their community proud.
Congratulations, your honors!
Photo Courtesy of WTOP