Ava-joye Burnett

Ava-joye Burnett

Ava-joye Burnett

Legal Affairs Correspondent

Ava-joye Burnett is an award-winning journalist who joined Scripps News in April of 2023 as a national political correspondent. Since joining Scripps News, Ava-joye has covered the federal criminal indictment of former President Donald Trump over the alleged mishandling of classified documents. Ava-joye is also part of a team that covered the historic Supreme Court ruling that prohibited the consideration of race in college admissions.

Prior to Scripps News, Ava-joye spent seven years as a general assignment reporter at CBS Baltimore (WJZ). While at WJZ, Ava-joye won an Emmy for outstanding breaking or spot news while covering a deadly gas explosion in Baltimore. During hours of extensive coverage, her numerous live shots took viewers inside people's homes and revealed the impact of the powerful and tragic explosion. Ava-joye also worked at WRIC-TV in Richmond, Va. While there, she won a Salute to Excellence Award from the National Association of Black Journalists, for her three part series on disproportionately high drowning rates among African Americans.

Ava-joye started her reporting career in Hagerstown, Md. She's also worked at WUSA-TV in the nation's capital behind the scenes, as well as at CTV-News in Prince George's County, Md. She was born in Jamaica and still has deep roots there with many extended family members on the island. Ava-joye graduated from American University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism, she also has a Masters of Studies in Law from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

Ava-joye is a prior Board of Governor's member of the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She’s also a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta, Sorority Incorporated and the National Association of Black Journalists.

Email: Ava-joye.Burnett@Scripps.com

Recent Work
Atlanta defense lawyer Ashleigh Merchant

Key attorney in Trump's Georgia election case speaks with Scripps News

People march through downtown Amarillo to protest a lawsuit to ban the abortion drug mifepristone.

Supreme Court appears skeptical of abortion pill challenge

Terrence Bradley, Nathan Wade's former business partner and former divorce attorney.

Key witness testifies on Trump prosecutor's affair with Fani Willis

Demonstrators hold signs outside of the U.S. Supreme Court

What was it like to witness the historic US Supreme Court hearing?

Black Voters Matter organizers

Groups reaching out to Black voters ahead of key Democratic primary

Collision Course: Trump and the Law

Trump and the Law: A Scripps News special report

This artist sketch depicts former President Donald Trump, seated right, listening to his attorney D. John Sauer.

Trump appears in court to claim he's immune from prosecution

Donald Trump

Friday deadline looms in Trump's Colorado ballot case

Donald Trump

Where Donald Trump's legal cases stand right now

Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, left, and her mother Ruby Freeman, right

Georgia poll workers speak out about Rudy Giuliani's defamation

Rudy Giuliani

No verdict on first day of deliberations in Giuliani defamation case

Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, a former Georgia election worker

Former Georgia election worker testifies in Giuliani defamation trial

Former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani.

Jury of 8 seated in defamation case against Rudy Giuliani

Eric Trump, center, appears at the fraud trial for his father, former President Donald Trump, at New York Supreme Court.

Eric Trump testifies in $250 million Trump Organization fraud case

Donald Trump Jr. in a New York courtroom.

Donald Trump Jr. testifies for 2nd day in father's fraud trial

Jenna Ellis, a former member of then-President Donald Trump's legal team, speaks during a news conference.

4th Trump co-defendant pleads guilty in Georgia election case

Former President Donald Trump.

Judge in Trump's Jan. 6 trial issues partial gag order

President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden leaves after a court appearance

How high are legal fees for high-profile cases?

The U.S. Supreme Court.

Supreme Court starts new term: Voting, guns, social media on docket

Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee.

Judge rules Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro will be tried together

Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio speaks.

Proud Boys' Enrique Tarrio gets record 22 years in prison for Jan. 6

Harrison Floyd

Harrison Floyd, defendant in GA election case, talks with Scripps News

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan

Meet Tanya Chutkan, the judge assigned to the Trump Jan. 6 trial

Former President Donald Trump

Trump lawyers ask judge to postpone trial in classified documents case

Donald Trump

How is Donald Trump expected to fight his indictment?

Police tape is wrapped around a palm tree outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse.

Trump arrives in Florida ahead of Tuesday's court appearance

A woman voting

Democrats focus on winning Black vote in South Carolina

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy testifies before a Senate committee.

US surgeon general: Social media needs a mental health warning label

Sketch of Donald Trump in court

Grand jury reconvenes in classified documents case against Trump

Graduates of Harvard Law School.

Supreme Court set to rule on race-conscious college admissions