CAMDEN - At just 27 years old, Briana Westry-Robinson has become the youngest African-American female judge in Alabama history.

WSFA-TV reports Westry-Robinson became a district judge in Wilcox County after voters elected her in November to a 6-year term. She turned 28 two days after taking the oath-of-office last week.

Westry-Robinson was born in Germany but raised in Camden. She graduated from the University of Alabama and earned a law degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge.

Westry-Robinson will take the gavel for the first time Thursday. She says she's been working toward becoming a judge since the second grade.