Judge Richard Read was appointed and sworn-in by Governor Brian Kemp on January 18, 2022, Richard Read serves as associate State Court Judge in the Rockdale Judicial Circuit.  Judge Read ran unopposed for election to the position in May 2022 and will begin his first full term as State Court Judge on January 1, 2023.

Judge Read grew up in southeast Fulton County, and later, Gwinnett County.  Judge Read received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Georgia in 1984, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1987. After law school, Judge Read served as an assistant solicitor and assistant district attorney in DeKalb County Georgia.  As an assistant district attorney in DeKalb, Judge Read specialized in the prosecution of those who commit crimes against children.

In the summer of 1992, Judge Read began work as the Chief Assistant District Attorney in the Rockdale County District Attorney’s Office.  In 1999, Judge Read was elected District Attorney of the Rockdale Judicial Circuit.  Judge Read was elected by the people of Rockdale County as District Attorney five times and served in that capacity for 19 years.

Judge Read is married to the former Theresa Brown.  Theresa Read is an attorney specializing in personal injury law.  They have raised three children who attended and graduated from the Rockdale County school system.

Judge Read is a past president of the board of directors for Project Renewal, the past chairman of the Rockdale County Child Abuse Protocol and Child Fatality Review Committees, and coached baseball at the Rockdale Youth Baseball Association and at Salem High School for many years.

Judge Read and Mrs. Read have lived in Rockdale County for almost 30 years.