GC Probate Court Chief Clerk Duwell to Seek Probate Court Judgeship

Gwinnett County Probate Court Chief Clerk, Marlene R. Duwell has announced that she will seek the office of Judge of Gwinnett Probate Court.

Duwell has served the Probate Court for 18 years, beginning as the Probate Court’s first law clerk in 1995. Judicially appointed as Chief Clerk in 1997. She also has served as a hearing officer for the Court for more than a decade. In addition to the daily administrative functions of both the Vital Records and the Estate divisions of the Court, Duwell has been appointed to hear mental health cases, adult guardianships, guardianships of minors, and probate matters. In her current position as Chief Clerk/Division Director, Duwell is responsible for all of the court’s filings as well as oversight of 18 court clerks, budgetary planning, and personnel matters.

“There is no substitute for front-line experience in running a Court, not to mention the invaluable judicial experience on the bench,” Duwell said in a press release announcing her candidacy. “For the past 18 years, I’ve watched this Court grow from a dozen employees overseen by the Judge, to a multi-level staff in two separate offices with a million dollar budget.  The changes required in response to two decades of Gwinnett’s growth have been phenomenal, and I feel grateful that I’ve had a chance to grow with the Court.   My experience both in management of the Court and on the bench makes me confident that I am ready to serve Gwinnett County as the next Probate Judge.

Duwell and her husband of 25 years, Les, live in Peachtree Corners and have one daughter. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University’s School of Engineering in 1983, a Juris Doctorate from University of Georgia’s School of Law in 1993, and a Certificate of Local Government Management from The University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute in 2005.  She has been active in the Fiduciary Law Section of the Gwinnett Bar, on the Board of Directors of the Gwinnett Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, served on panels for continuing legal education seminars, and participated in ethics training for law students, while remaining involved in various professional, religious and civic causes. Duwell is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the Gwinnett Bar Association. She is admitted to practice before the State and Superior Courts in Georgia, U.S. District Court, and the Supreme Court of the United States.