“The people who inspire me are really a group of people, not
one specific individual. When someone is charged with a felony, or
is the victim of a violent felony, that oftentimes is the worst and most
stressful moment in their lives. Despite that moment in time, the
individuals that I encounter–whether victims or defendants–and
their families exhibit a kind of grace and resiliency that you can only
admire,” expresses State Court Judge Kathryn “Katie” L. Powers. “If
I am able to exhibit a quarter of the grace under pressure that I see
those individuals exhibit daily, then I will consider myself to be in
good company.”
Equally important is the bastion of family, friends, and neighbors
from whom this lifelong resident has also drawn inspiration. “The
best part of being born and raised here is the sense of community
that existed, and still exists today,” says Powers, which makes her recent
appointment to the bench all the more meaningful. “[This] is
the only place that I have worked following law school and I consider
myself extremely lucky to have been granted the opportunity to
serve and practice law in my hometown.”
After graduating from Jonesboro High School ( JHS) Katie attended
Georgia State University, where she attained her bachelor’s
degree in political science and government. She went on to earn her
juris doctor from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of
Law and immediately rekindled her love affair with Clayton County–
this time from a professional standpoint. After working as an assistant
district attorney in government she was elevated to Deputy
Chief Assistant District Attorney, where she prosecuted multiple
sex crime trials on behalf of the State, and acted as sole legal counsel
on all child murder cases.
“I distinctly remember a trial that I had concerning the murder
of a one-year-old child at the hands of her father, because there was
no one there to represent the child from her family. Instead, her
only advocate was the director of the day care she attended,” Judge
Powers recalls. “To stand for that little girl when it seemed that very
few people wanted to is one of my greatest accomplishments. That
trial reinforced the fact that children do not have the opportunity
to choose who will stand for them, and that I should continue to
strive to be the best advocate for them that I can be.” Katie ultimately
became that voice for many victims as head of the Crimes Against
Women and Children Unit, and stood in good stead on their behalf
for over seven years.
Her next position as Executive Chief Assistant District Attorney
included leading the Homicide Unit, where she represented the
State in murder and cold case murder cases, complex cases, and high
profile media cases, and assisted law enforcement with the drafting
of specialized warrants and court orders in order to apprehend
the county’s most wanted fugitives. Also tasked with determining
whether the State should seek the death penalty, Katie managed all
of the litigation such decisions entail.
“One of the things I love about the law is that you are constantly
learning. There is never a time where you can sit down and feel as if
you know all of the answers,” she confirms. “I believe that a desire to
continue to be the best community member that I can be allowed
me to have a purpose each morning when I wake up.”
All of these roles were excellent preparation for her most recent
appointment. As one of five judges sitting on the State Court of
Clayton County bench, Powers will lead a trial court covering misdemeanor
and traffic violations that are prosecuted by the Solicitor
General’s office, as well as all civil actions without exclusive jurisdiction
in the Superior Court.
While Katie’s career lets her give back to the community she loves
on one level, for the past thirteen years she has lived vicariously
through her alma mater via her coaching gig with its Mock Trial
Team. “Participation on the JHS Mock Trial Team [as a student]
is the reason that I wanted to become a lawyer. Oftentimes, we hear
about the negative press surrounding Clayton County, but what
people fail to realize is that our mock trial students have won and are
winning state, national, and international academic competitions,”
she boasts. “These students are truly the best of the best!”
By using her faith in God to strengthen and motivate her to be
the best person she can be on a daily basis, Judge Powers confesses
that she always intended to use her gifts to give back. “Rarely are you
granted an opportunity to know that every day when you come to
work you are positively affecting your home. The people of Clayton
County have made me who I am today, and I wanted to come back
to serve the very people that invested so much in me.”
Outside of the courtroom, this Adele fan enjoys running and is currently
training for her fifth half marathon. Judge Powers also enjoys
watching Georgia football (when they win, of course.)