Hon. Judy L. Bridges McMahon was born March 30, 1945, in McKinney, Texas, to parents Ruth Woolbright and Michael J. Lentine. She graduated early from Winthrop University and received a full scholarship to pursue her Master’s in East Asian Studies from Florida State University. She later received her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Following law school, she was an assistant attorney for the City of Charleston and became a Municipal Court Judge. She was elected Family Court Judge and served in this position for 33 years. She was the first woman elected Judge to any court above the magistrate level in South Carolina. Additionally, she accomplished this feat while pregnant with her daughter Sarah.
Known as the nice “Judge Judy”, she was a member of the SC Bar and the SC Women Lawyers.
She was passionate about helping families and children through her work. She enjoyed art, cooking, gardening, traveling, her book club, and arranging flowers for friends and family. She was very involved with her Church, Grace Church Cathedral in Charleston, serving on the flower guild as well as participating in foyer groups, donating to Grace Church’s partnership with HALOs and volunteering at Menninger School.
The Honorable Judy L. Bridges McMahon died on October 1, 2021. She is survived by her spouse, Gerald “Jerry” McMahon, Jr.; daughter, Sarah B. Hales (Kevin); grandson, George J. Hales; stepdaughter, Maire McMahon Davit (Lou); sisters, Shirley Chandler, Carmel Clements, Karyn Powell; and brothers, Michael Lentine and John Lentine.