National Conference of Specialized Court Judges

NHTSA Fellows

National Conference of Specialized Court Judges Judicial Fellow

Honorable Kent Lawrence

Judge Kent Lawrence has been the elected Judge of the State Court of Athens-Clarke County since November, 1985.  Prior to assuming that position, he worked as a patrol officer, special investigator with the District Attorney’s office, a countywide drug task force officer, Chief of Police, and a prosecuting attorney.  In 1992, he was appointed by former Governor Zell Miller to the Statewide DUI Task Force.  He served two years on the twenty-four member State Judicial Council which evaluates policies for court administration and recommends improvements in the state’s judicial system.  He served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education of Georgia from 1995-2002.  Judge Lawrence implemented the first DUI/Drug Court in Georgia in February, 2001.  He currently serves on both the Statewide Drug Court Advisory Committee for the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Judicial Council Standing Committee on Drug Courts.  In 2005, he was the recipient of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director’s Award in recognition and dedication to the highest standards of excellence in promoting public safety in Georgia.  He has been a facilitator for DUI/Drug Court teams around the country.  He recently was elected to serve on NADCP board beginning in June, 2006.  He has served as President of the Council of State Court Judges of Georgia and is an active member of the State Bar of Georgia and the Western Judicial Circuit Bar Association.  Judge Lawrence has both a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Georgia, and received a Juris Doctorate Degree from Woodrow Wilson College of Law in 1978.  On November 7, 2006, Judge Lawrence was elected without opposition to serve a sixth four (4) year term to begin on January 1, 2007.