Judge Marvin I. Lawson, Probate Judge for Darlington County, S.C. was born in Darlington, S.C. on April 5, 1956. He is the son of Laurie Coke and Elizabeth Pearce Lawson. Judge Lawson graduated from St. John's High School in Darlington in 1973. He is also a graduate of Francis Marion College receiving a B.A. with Honors in History in 1977.

He was elected Clerk of Court of Darlington County in 1980 and re-elected Clerk of Court without opposition in 1984, 1988, and 1992. He was appointed Probate Judge on September 9, 1994, and elected without opposition in 1994. Judge Lawson was reelected in 1998 and 2002 without opposition. Judge Lawson was the President of the S.C. Probate Judge's Association from 2000-2001.

Judge Lawson married Brigette Rose Williams on August 8, 1990 and they have triplet daughters, Caroline, Elizabeth, and Mary, born November 6, 1997. He is a member of the Darlington Kiwanis Club. Judge Lawson is a lifelong member of Trinity Methodist Church in Darlington, where he has been a Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendant and Chairman Of The Board Of Stewards.