For Athens County Prosecuting Attorney C. David Warren, working as a prosecutor is about making a difference in the county where he grew up.
Warren, who was raised in Nelsonville and graduated from Ohio University in 1977, returned to Athens County after graduating from Ohio Northern University law school in 1980. After returning, Ward quickly accepted a job as Nelsonville city prosecutor from city Law Director Michael Nolan.
Everyday I come in
I know I'm going to make a difference in someone's life Warren said.
In April 1982, Warren left Nolan's office and accepted a job as an assistant county prosecuting attorney from then county prosecuting attorney Michael Ward, who is now a judge in the Athens County Court of Common Pleas. At the beginning of 1991, Judge William Lavelle appointed Warren as a juvenile court magistrate.
Warren resigned from his post in January 2000 to run for Athens County prosecuting attorney on the Democratic ticket. In November, he was elected to run an office that was much larger than the one he had left 10 years earlier.
As county prosecuting attorney, Warren is a member of the County Budget Commission and counsel to all county elected officials. He often has to deal with conflicts between offices, especially about how to divide limited funds.
Sometimes the thing that comes in most handy is my 20 years as a football referee Warren said.
Despite the challenges, he takes pride in the fact that the county commissioners and the budget commission have been able to get through funding shortages without a single layoff.
Warren's office also provides responses to written legal questions from county offices within 24 hours and responds to questions from townships before their next trustee meetings. His policy is that every phone call his office receives will be returned. Warren also picks and chooses among the 400 felony cases his office handles every year.
He married his high school sweetheart Cheryl and now has three sons and two grandchildren. The Warrens enjoy traveling to Florida. Warren also enjoys playing golf and watching football and baseball.
He keeps a photograph of Major League baseball player Pete Rose setting the record for career hits above his desk. He said the photo serves as a reminder that no matter how good you are
you're not bigger than the game.
- Casey Westlake
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David Warren graduated from OU in 1977 and has been the county prosecutor since 2000. He grew up in Athens County and moved back after graduating from Ohio Northern University law school in 1980.
