Judge Robert Flournoy III: Biography & Judicial Service | KnowJudges

# Robert Flournoy III
Senior Judge · [Cobb County Superior Court](/kyj/court/ga/cobb-county-superior-court)

## Judicial assignments
[Cobb Judicial Circuit](/kyj/court/ga/cobb-judicial-circuit)Senior Judge — circuit affiliation; court class unconfirmedThe official Senior Judges directory lists this circuit affiliation. A specific current assignment is not established. Senior judge available for assignment; this does not establish a current primary assignment.
Source checked October 15, 2026. [Roster source 1](https://georgiacourts.knack.com/gcd2/#home/directory-entries/58af023dce9168f520c4dd28/) · [Roster source 2](https://us-api.knack.com/v1/pages/scene_1/views/view_5/records?rows_per_page=1000&page=1&filters=%7B%22match%22%3A+%22and%22%2C+%22rules%22%3A+%5B%7B%22field%22%3A+%22field_19%22%2C+%22operator%22%3A+%22is%22%2C+%22value%22%3A+%22Senior+Judges%22%7D%5D%7D)
These published assignments do not certify a complete bench.

## Robert Flournoy III at a glance
Current roleSenior Judge
Court[Cobb County Superior Court](/kyj/court/ga/cobb-county-superior-court)
Current assignment[Cobb County Superior Court](/kyj/court/ga/cobb-county-superior-court)
JurisdictionGeorgia · State
Judicial serviceActive

## Biography

### Professional career

- In 2009, he issued a directed verdict in a case involving a Marietta High School teacher who had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student, stating, "It's gross, it's awful, but it ain't illegal," which drew public attention and debate over Georgia's child protection laws
- Robert E. Flournoy III held the role of a Superior Court judge for the Cobb County Judicial Circuit in Georgia

### Education

- His most recent term expired in 2022, after which he announced his intention to continue serving as a senior judge, pending approval from Governor Brian Kemp Flournoy earned his undergraduate degree and J.D. from the University of Georgia in 1974 and 1979, respectively, and later graduated from the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada in 2001

### Additional information

- Following his retirement on December 31, 2022, Flournoy expressed his intention to serve as a senior judge, a role that allows retired judges to continue hearing cases.
- Also involved in custody and placement cases that attracted scrutiny, including a 2021 case where a 15-year-old girl was placed in the home of a man with a history of abuse, raising concerns about judicial discretion and child safety.
- Appointed by Governor Roy Barnes on July 14, 2000 and subsequently elected without opposition in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018.
- During his tenure, Judge Flournoy presided over several high-profile and controversial cases.
- Throughout his career, Flournoy maintained close professional relationships with local attorneys, including campaign and staff appointments, which occasionally intersected with cases he presided over

## Sources

Identity source checked August 25, 2026.
01
### Georgia Courts Directory
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 25, 2026
[View Georgia Courts Directory ↗](https://georgiacourts.knack.com/gcd2/#directory-entries/entry-details/58af023dce9168f520c4dd28/)

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## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [Uniform Superior Court Rules](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-815bee855bfd141a25d75d36) — Superior Court proceedings. Collected April 9, 2026 compilation; amendments effective November 5, 2026 are future on this collection date and are not applied. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://assets.georgiacourts.gov/4/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/14025702/UNIFORM-SUPERIOR-COURT-RULES-2026_04_09.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.