DeKalb County Juvenile Court Administrator

Mr. Colet Odenigbo is a dedicated public servant, community leader, and youth advocate who has devoted decades to serving others.  As the Court Administrator for the DeKalb County Juvenile Court, he supports the court’s mission and the well-being of children and families in DeKalb County.

Mr. Odenigbo began his career in service as a youth prevention program coordinator in Detroit, Michigan. He later volunteered for many years with the American Red Cross, supporting Minority Initiatives before enlisting in the United States Navy, where he honorably served for 14 years. Following his military service, he continued his commitment to young people through the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), where he nurtured, mentored, and encouraged countless Georgia youth. He also served as Chief of Staff to DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson before being appointed as Court Administrator for the DeKalb Juvenile Court.

Mr. Odenigbo holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Alabama A&M University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Troy University. He is completing his PhD in Public Administration at North Central University. He graduated from Leadership DeKalb in 2024 and is a Fellow with the Institute of Court Management (ICM) at the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). He serves on the board of the Georgia Council of Court Administrators. Mr. Odenigbo is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Mr. Odenigbo has received numerous awards and recognition for service including: Navy Achievement Medal for volunteerism, Congressional Community Service Award, Proclamation from the US congress, Proclamation from the Georgia House of Representatives, Citation from the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, Champion of Hope Award, Trailblazer Award, and Inspirational Awards from Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Under his leadership, DeKalb County Juvenile Court has experienced a remarkable increase in staff salaries, resulting in staff retention, major infrastructural improvements, an increased training budget, and access to programs through community partnerships.