A Jefferson County judge who presided over cases in the domestic relations division died unexpectedly this weekend, according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation, where she served as president.

Anne Lamkin Durward died May 27, and the cause of death is unknown, according to the organization. She was 54. In addition to her work in the courts and with the foundation, Durward also served as a moot court coach for students at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law.

Gov. Kay Ivey appointed Durward in 2020 to serve as domestic relations judge in Jefferson County. She grew up in Birmingham and attended college at Washington and Lee University in Virginia, according to a bio on the website of her former law firm. She returned to Alabama to attended Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.

According to the post from the AAML Foundation, Durward was at home with her husband when she died.

“Anne was a brilliant ray of sunshine who was loved and respected by everyone she met,” according to the Facebook post. “I honestly can’t remember when a frown or a cross word ever passed her lips. She earned the title ‘The Honorable’ in a landslide election a few years ago, and no one was more deserving. Anne was the benchmark of professionalism, enthusiasm, grace, and charm. She had a knack for putting others at ease.”