Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan F. Murphy has appointed Natalie Ward and Christopher Yarbrough as part-time Magistrate judges following an open application and interview process. The two were selected from what was described in the news release as a competitive pool of well-qualified candidates.

“Excellent attorneys with respect for the law, common sense, and judicial temperaments, Natalie and Chris bring decades of private sector experience to the Magistrate Court,” Murphy said. “They have already demonstrated a shared commitment to our core value of community service through volunteering at the People’s Court Pop-up Legal Clinic, providing free legal advice to those in need.”

The Cobb County Magistrate Court operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, with a heavy caseload of criminal and civil matters. It serves tens of thousands of self-represented litigants each year, offering an accessible forum to resolve disputes. The court presides over initial hearings in most criminal cases and considers both public safety and the constitutional rights of the accused.

Ward began her professional career in nursing before transitioning into law. She brings more than 20 years of combined legal and healthcare experience, including work as intellectual property and corporate counsel. She has served as in-house counsel and as outside counsel with Am Law 100 firms, and has advised Fortune 500 companies on intellectual property, licensing, technology, and business transactions. A graduate of the University of Florida and Howard University School of Law, Ward is active in the Junior League of Atlanta, the Cobb County Bar Association, and volunteers with domestic violence support services. She lives in Powder Springs with her family.

Yarbrough, a Georgia native, has practiced law in the metro Atlanta area since 2009, focusing on civil litigation, landlord-tenant matters, and creditors’ rights. He also serves as an adjunct professor of business law at Kennesaw State University and volunteers with the Georgia High School Mock Trial program. Yarbrough is a graduate of Georgia College & State University and Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. He resides in Smyrna with his husband.