Who is Paige Reese Whitaker? All about judge who refused to revoke Young Thug's probation

Judge Paige Reese Whitaker has gained public attention after presiding over a pivotal hearing involving Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug. On April 3, 2025, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker released a statement declining to revoke the probation of Jeffery Lamar Williams II, an Atlanta-based rapper, Billboard reported.

The statement comes after the rapper uploaded a post on X in which he accused an Atlanta Police Department investigator, Marissa Viverito, of being a liar. For the unversed, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker has been a professional Judge at the Superior Court of Fulton County since February 2017. She serves in courtroom 5D under 5855 in the Justice Center Tower in Atlanta.

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All about Judge Paige Reese Whitaker and the Young Thug's probation decision

According to her LinkedIn profile, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker completed her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Magna Cum Laude) from College of Charleston in 1989. Furthermore, she graduated with a professional Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Duke University School of Law, North Carolina, in 1992.

As the Fulton Superior Court's official website states, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker has an extensive experience in law. Although the timeline of her services has not been mentioned, Whitaker has performed duties as a Sustainer at the Junior League of Atlanta and as an Ambassador at the Pink Ribbon Story Foundation, a platform that provides space to breast cancer-affected individuals to share their story.

In addition, Paige Reese Whitaker has served as chairperson of the Fulton County Juvenile Court Citizens' Review Committee and as a member of the Atlanta Bar Association and Federalist Society.

Before signing as the Judge of the Superior Court of Fulton County, Whitaker performed duties as Deputy District Attorney (Appeals Division) in the same county, from September 2010 till February 2017. According to Ballotpedia, her current term at Fulton County will end on December 31, 2026.

In an order given on Thursday, April 3, 2025, Judge Whitaker suggested in a courtroom that Young Thug's probation would not be canceled. She explained via a statement that after reviewing the terms and conditions of the rapper's probation, Whitaker decided to deny the prosecutors' request to revoke it. Per HotNewHipHop, the court document reads:

"Upon consideration of the State's April 2, 2025 Motion to Revoke Defendant's probation, which alleges a violation of the terms and conditions of Defendant's probation for having posted a picture of a particular law enforcement officer with the caption "biggest liar in the DA office," and Defendant's April 3, 2025 response thereto, and having reviewed the terms and conditions of Defendant's probation imposed by this Court, the Court declines to revoke Defendant's probation based on the violation asserted.'"

In the prosecutors' request, they alleged that Young Thug had violated the probation ruling, as he had posted on X with a picture of an investigator, Marissa Viverito, whom he accused of being the "biggest liar" of the District Attorney.

Judge Paige Reese Whitaker stated that the Court did not find the X post rising "to the level of a violation of Defendant's probation." But she asserted that the rapper Young Thug must refrain and should be cautious with his social media posting.

BBC reported that Young Thug was arrested in May 2022 under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and gang-related charges. He was granted probation on October 31, 2024, following a plea deal in his racketeering trial.

As of now, the rapper Young Thug has not yet publicly responded to the judge's ruling.