Cobb's incoming District Attorney is sworn in

With her parents and daughter standing beside her, Sonya Allen took the oath of office to become Cobb County's next District Attorney. Georgia Supreme Court Justice Verda M. Colvin administered the oaths before a large crowd in Marietta.

Allen will be the first African-American woman elected to the county's top prosecutorial position. A long-time Cobb County resident, she has built a 30-year career with the Sheriff's Office, rising to the rank of Chief Deputy, earning her law degree along the way, and most recently serving as a Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney in Fulton County.

During the ceremony, Allen pledged to lead the District Attorney's Office based on the three principles she emphasized throughout her campaign: fairness, transparency, and a deep respect for the law.

"Every decision we make will be grounded in these principles; I can assure you of that," Allen told the crowd. "The criminal justice system has the power to protect, heal, and sometimes restore what has been broken. There will be difficult days ahead. We will face complex cases, hard choices, and sometimes public scrutiny. But I promise to meet these challenges with integrity and a firm belief that the justice system must serve people equally."