On Wednesday morning, WEIS Radio welcomed to the studios – candidate for District Attorney on the Republican ticket in Cherokee, and DeKalb counties, in the upcoming election, Summer McWhorter Summerford. Following the retirement announcement of longtime District Attorney Mike O’Dell, Summerford is seeking to take on that role, and the many responsibilities associated with the job – having already laid necessary and vitally important groundwork over the past several years:
She stressed that “follow through” will be a key component of her administration and her overall approach to the justice system.
To hear that interview in its entirety, simply click on the link below:
Summer McWhorter Summerford is a deputy district attorney for the 9th judicial circuit which includes DeKalb and Cherokee Counties. Summerford graduated from Cedar Bluff High School and attended Auburn University where she graduated magma cum laude in 2006.
She received her law degree from the Cumberland School of Law, the law school at Samford University, where she served as a member of the Trial Advocacy Board, the National Negotiation Team and the National Arbitration Team.
Summerford served as a clerk in the Violent Crimes Division of the Attorney General’s Office and an extern at the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office before starting her own firm in 2009. She joined the District Attorney’s Office in 2018 and was promoted to deputy district attorney in 2020. Summerford has prosecuted many different types of cases including serious felony assaults and murder cases.
Summerford is a member of the Cherokee County Republican Executive Committee, an associate member of the DeKalb County Republican Women, member of the Cherokee Republican Women and a member of the Dekalb Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police. She and her family are members of Fairview Methodist Church.
Summer is married to career law enforcement officer, Josh Summerford, a Sylvania graduate who started at the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office over 20 years ago and is currently the Chief Deputy of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. They have two children, Mabry and Eli.