Meet the Inspiring Young Woman Who Became a Judge at 25

The age of 25 can be a confusing period. It’s the cliché onset of the quarter life crisis and all of its encompassing fears and doubts. While the age might leave some young adults lost, there is one young woman who defied the stereotype.

Jasmine Twitty, who is currently 26, was appointed to the position of Associate Judge in Easley, South Carolina in August of 2015. Her appointment to judgeship at 25 years old in the municipal court made her the youngest judge in the city’s history.

The daughter of a social worker, Twitty knew from a young age her future would be in the public service. She attended the College of Charleston in South Carolina and graduated with a political science degree. After graduation, she was running college prep workshops for high school students before she moved onto a clerk position with the Greenville Country Bond Court, a 24-hour court in Greenville, South Carolina. In this role, she was coordinating bond hearing while working as night clerk in Easley. After almost five years in these roles, she realized she had amassed a credible amount of experience and decided to take a career leap to become a judge.

It is worth noting that Twitty did not attend law school which might seem puzzling considering it’s understood as an inherent prerequisite to becoming a judge. However, in South Carolina, summary court judges do not require law degrees but rather, they are merely appointed. After completing a training program and a certification examination, she was appointed to the position of Associate Judge.

In an interview with WSPA 7News, she described the surreal experience, “It was one of those moments, is this happening?”

In her role as an Associate Judge, Twitty oversees the initial proceedings of a criminal case.

Her interests outside of work are also extensive. She volunteers her time with the Urban League of the Upstate, an affiliate of the National Urban League, a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of African Americans through various frontiers. She’s also a member of the Upstate Network Young Professionals board where she mentors young workers with career development. Additionally, she co founded a chapter of LeadHer, an organization committed to empowering women in career development.

So the question is, what advice would she give to other young women? In an interview with Amy Poehler’s website, Amy’s Smart Girls, she reveals that her path to achievement was based on confidence. “I had to tell myself to remain confident…I just kept reminding myself the reasons why I’m worthy of whatever it may be I am after at the time,” she explained.

In addition to confidence, she also envisioned herself reaching her goals, a habit she advises that other young women incorporate.

“What is important that you make a conscientious effort to keep your goals aligned with your vision. Remain true to yourself at all times, and envision yourself accomplishing those goals. I believe if you see yourself doing something, it makes you want it that much more. You intentionally start to align yourself with your vision, which is truly important. BE INTENTIONAL. Intentional is one of my favorite words. Because if you’re not intentional, you can’t expect things just to happen. You have to go make them happen—especially as women.”