THE STORY: I was born in Austell and raised in neighboring Douglas County. My mother dropped out of college to raise my older brother and me. She eventually became a bookkeeper at a supply company located on Fulton Industrial where she worked until she retired. She finished her college degree in her 50s while working. My dad started a small business when I was in college, which has grown to be a Cobb Chamber Top 25 Small Business of the Year for the last 10 years. My parents, both from humble beginnings, taught me the value of hard work and perseverance.
I was the co-valedictorian of Alexander High School in 1994, and I obtained a degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. After spending a year teaching high school in Hawaii, I joined Teach For America, a service organization that places people in under-resourced areas. I taught middle school math and science in Newark, New Jersey for two years. After teaching, I came home to Georgia to attend Emory Law. I met my wife there, and we were married five days after graduation. We built a home in Cobb while studying for the bar exam For the past 15 years, I have worked as a public servant here in Cobb. I am currently a senior assistant district attorney and head of the White Collar, Elder Abuse, and Public Integrity Unit in the Cobb DA’s Office. I am also an adjunct professor at Emory Law, where I teach a class on sentencing. I am considered one of the foremost experts in Georgia on the prosecution of elder abuse. All felony cases involving a victim age 65 or older cross my desk. I’ve handled cases of public importance for multiple elected Cobb DA’s over the span of my career. I’m the guy who can be trusted to see a matter through, without fear or favor.
WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE IN COBB: The people of this County are woven into the fabric of my family. Cobb is the perfect combination of small-town feel with big-city amenities. And, we have great schools — something that is especially important to my wife and me, as we are both former teachers.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? When trouble strikes, some people move the opposite direction. I move toward it. I like making hard decisions. My job puts me in the position to alter the trajectory of someone’s life for the better. I get to stand up for other people who have been wronged. I get to name evil when I see it and shine a light on others’ misdeeds.
LEISURE TIME: I am a busy father of three. Most weekends, you can find me coaching soccer for one of my kids, but when I can find the time, I love the opportunity to quiet the noise of the world for a couple of hours while watching a movie.
BEST ADVICE: Stand for something. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
WHAT’S NEXT? I am running for Superior Court Judge here in Cobb. It is an open seat. The election is May 19.
1205 Johnson Ferry Rd. Ste. 136-246, Marietta, GA 30068 • marbuttforjudge.com
