We want to keep our clients informed about the issues that affect them. On May 24, there were judicial elections in the counties we work in: Cobb, Gwinnett, DeKalb and Fulton. This month we will take a look at the results in Cobb and Gwinnett. (We also threw in a fact about each of the elected Judges.)
Gwinnett County Superior Court Election:
Melodie Snell Conner (I)* – Chief Judge, no challenger, Gwinnett county’s first female Superior Court Judge.
Karen E. Beyers (I) – No challenger, prior to becoming a judge she was a sole practitioner attorney.
Warren Davis (I) – No challenger, appointed by Gov. Perdue in 2008, prior Chief Magistrate.
Ronnie Batchelor (I) – Beat challenger Gregory McKeithen 71%-29%**, has been married for 44 years and a judge for 12 years.
Randy Rich (I) – No challenger, appointed by Gov. Deal in 2014, first election as Superior Court judge.
Kathy Schrader (I) – No challenger, won her first Superior court election in a runoff in 2012.
Gwinnett County State Court Election:
Emily Brantley (I) – No challenger, former personal injury and mediation lawyer.
Shawn Bratton (I) – Beat challenger Latawsha Little-Hill 71%-29%, grew up in Gwinnett, served in the Navy.
Carla Brown (I) – Beat challenger Rhonda Colvin-Leary 70%-30%, Judge since 2003, active in the animal rescue community.
Cobb County Superior Court Election:
Reuben Green (I) – Beat challenger Nathan Wade 55.5% -44.5%, founder of the Cobb County Veterans Accountability and Treatment court.
Kimberly Childs – Beat Chuck Bachman and Grady Moore for vacant seat, 54%, 31%, 15%, prior to attending law school, she worked as a guard at the DeKalb County Jail.
- Lark Ingram (I) – No challenger, has been a judge in Cobb County since 1991, prior to this she was an Assistant District Attorney.
Carlton L. Tain Kell (I) – No challenger, grew up in Cobb County where his mother was a teacher and father was a High School football coach.
Greg Poole (I) – No challenger, prior to election in 2012, was a Juvenile Court Judge focusing on rehabilitation and reuniting families.
- Stephen Schuster (I) – Beat challengers Joanne Elizabeth Elsey and Cindie Alter, 60%, 23%, 17%, performed the first same-sex wedding in Cobb County.
Mary Ellen Staley (I) – No challenger, judge in Cobb since 1982, Cobb County Mental Health Court presiding Judge.
Cobb County State Court:
Toby Prodgers (I) – No challenger, grew up in the military, living in Japan, Germany, Alabama, Virginia, Massachusetts, Ohio, Maryland, and California
Jane Manning – Beat Brenden F. Murphy and Aaron Strimban for the vacant seat, 51%, 34%, 15%, currently serves as the Assistant Solicitor General in Cobb County.
Carl W. Bowers (I) – No challenger, is the father of four sons and former Chief Magistrate.
Marsha Lake (I) – No challenger, an avid tennis player and former Assistant District Attorney
Allison B. Salter – Won vacant seat with no challenger, managing partner at Barnes Law Group
Maria Golick (I) – No challenger, wife of state Representative Rich Golick (R-Smyrna.)
Eric Brewton (I) – No challenger, worked for Travelers Insurance Company prior to appointment in 2010.
For State Post 3, there were five candidates. None of them won the required 51% of the vote, so there will be a run-off between the top two candidates:
Kellie Hill, 27%, Luke Lantta 16%, John Morgan 38%, Chandler Vreeland 5%, Leah J. Zammit 13%
Next month, Schiavone Law will take a look at the winners of the DeKalb and Fulton County Elections.
*(I) – Incumbent
**Results are rounded to the nearest percentage point
Schiavone Law Group practices DUI, criminal and family law in Gwinnett and Fulton Counties.
