TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Feb 23, 2022

May 4 started as a typical day for Davidson County Criminal Court Judge Cheryl Blackburn, the Administrative Office of the Courts reports. But things took a significant turn when she suddenly was unable to use her arm and was slurring her speech. Her colleague, Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton, suspected Blackburn was having a stroke and immediately called emergency responders. The quick action paid off. Blackburn underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from her brain. She was back in the office within a week. Blackburn was so touched by the swift action of everyone involved that she asked the Metropolitan County Council to adopt a resolution underscoring the importance of knowing the signs of stroke and acknowledging the lifesaving actions of Dalton and the paramedics and firefighters who attended to her.