The Georgia Council of Court Administrators (GCCA) honored Brad Butler with the 2026 Bill Herndon Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing a remarkable career defined by public service, leadership, faith and an unwavering commitment to helping others.
GCCA President Lindsay Mobley presented the award during the organization’s 2026 Fall Conference and Annual Meeting at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. Tracy Johnson, Executive Director of the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution, and Joshua Weeks, Juvenile Court Administrator for the Conasauga Judicial Circuit, offered remarks recognizing Butler’s many contributions – and, more importantly, the character of the man behind those accomplishments.
The Bill Herndon Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a person who has made a significant contribution to the profession of court management. It honors William Barclay “Bill” Herndon, a World War II veteran and longtime Cobb County attorney whose service to Georgia’s courts inspired the award that bears his name. Herndon was its first recipient in 2002. For Butler, the honor is a fitting tribute to a lifetime spent serving his country, his community, Georgia’s courts and the people around him.
A Career Built on Service
Butler’s public-service career spans four decades and began long before he entered court administration. From 1986 to 1991, he served his country in the United States Marine Corps, establishing a pattern of discipline, loyalty and service that would remain evident throughout his career.
After leaving the military, Butler moved into law enforcement. He served with the University Police Department in Jacksonville, Alabama, from 1992 to 1996, and then with the Dalton Police Department from 1996 to 2000. Those years gave him a practical understanding of public safety, accountability and the daily challenges faced by the people who work within the justice system. In 2001, Butler began a new chapter with the Whitfield County Juvenile Court, first as a probation officer and later as Juvenile Court Administrator. In October 2006, he became Trial Court Administrator for the Conasauga Judicial Circuit, serving Whitfield and Murray counties. Over the next two decades, he became a steady and trusted presence for judges, attorneys, clerks, court employees, county officials, law-enforcement agencies and community partners.
Throughout those years, Butler earned a reputation as a practical problem-solver and a leader who could be counted on when something needed to be done. His approach was never about recognition; it was about finding solutions, supporting others and making the courts work better for the people they serve.
His influence extended far beyond the Conasauga Judicial Circuit. A GCCA member since 2002, Butler served the organization in numerous leadership roles, including as president from 2014 to 2015, as a member of the board, and through extensive work with its education and vendor committees.
He also invested in the next generation of court leaders. As faculty for the Institute for Court Management, Butler taught Managing Court Financial Resources and shared the practical knowledge he had gained throughout his career.
More Than a Resume
During the presentation, Johnson and Weeks spoke not only about Butler the Marine, police officer, court administrator, educator and statewide leader, but also about Brad Butler the person. His faith has remained central to his life, and his commitment to service has never ended at the courthouse door. Through church, mission work, disaster-relief efforts and quiet acts of help, he has consistently served others without seeking attention or credit.
“Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing.”
As significant as his professional accomplishments are, the titles he values most have never appeared on a business card: husband, father and grandfather. His wife, Lilli, and his family have remained at the center of a life marked by responsibility, long hours and service to others.
Butler’s legacy can be found in the colleagues he supported, the court professionals he mentored, the communities he served, the friendships he developed and the example he set. From a young Marine serving his country, to a police officer serving his community, to more than 25 years strengthening Georgia’s courts, he has devoted his adult life to others. The 2026 Bill Herndon Lifetime Achievement Award is a fitting recognition of that extraordinary journey. Job well done, Brad! A servant leader, trusted colleague, loyal friend, devoted family man and a truly faithful servant.
Submitted by the Georgia Council of Court Administrators. For more information on the GCCA visit: https://gccaonline.org/