Mabbutt takes on many roles in community

Some know her as a defense attorney, some as the county coroner and others as a nurse at Gritman Medical Center.

Cathy Mabbutt, 65, is a busy woman.

For 42 years she has worked at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow, where she has served in a multitude of positions, including director of the obstetrics department and director of the emergency room.

In 1995 she became a full-time student and took night classes at the University of Idaho to earn a bachelor's degree in political science. Then, in 2001, she graduated from the UI Law School. She completed both of her degrees all while working at Gritman Medical Center and raising a family.

"I wanted to be a nurse for a long time," Mabbutt said. "And law school was always a dream, but I waited until the kids got older."

Mabbutt said her goal was to do something medical-related with her law degree and that is what she did while working with a personal injury attorney in Clarkston for a period of time.

"When I went to law school I didn't think I would stay on as a nurse, but I like it so much I did," she said.

While the daily duties of a defense attorney and a nurse may be drastically different, it boils down to one common denominator - helping people.

"There is a lot of overlap. As an attorney I'm still helping people," she said.

In her various roles Mabbutt sees people when they are most vulnerable. Most people don't plan to go to the emergency room or to get arrested, she said.

"It can be hard, but then you see them when they get better," she said.

Mabbutt opened the Mabbutt Law Office in June 2003. The office handles criminal defense, divorces, custody cases and simple wills, she said. Mabbutt is also one of three contracted public defense attorneys for Latah County, so she also handles both indigent and private cases.

"My goal is that somebody wouldn't know the difference," she said of how she handles private cases versus cases contracted by the county.

She said it can be challenging to be a criminal defense attorney, but she works to ensure clients' civil liberties are protected and that they get the best deal possible.

"If you get to know them and treat them with respect, they appreciate that," she said.

In 2006, Mabbutt added coroner to her list of jobs.

"That was something I had always been interested in," she said.

Mabbutt ran against six other individuals in the primary election and has held the position since. Mabbutt said she responded to seven deaths within her first six months on the job.

"It's hard because I've lived here so long I know some of the families, but that can also be comforting to them," she said.

Mabbutt was recently awarded the SightLife Shining Star Award for her support of donor families and the cornea donation program. Mabbutt said in her role as coroner, she will try to determine and organize organ donations for anyone who dies outside of a hospital. In 2014, she assisted in the cornea donation process from seven individuals, she said.

"I feel very blessed to be in a position to help people," she said.

Between the three jobs and being an active member of the Lions Club, Mabbutt keeps busy, but she said the busier she is the more organized she becomes.

Despite all that, she still makes time to be with her two children, six grandchildren and her husband of 25 years, Charles, who is more commonly known as Chick, and attend University of Idaho events. She also teaches a lawyering process course as an adjunct professor at the UI.

Samantha Malott can be reached at (208) 883-4639, by email to smalott@dnews.com or on Twitter @samanthamalott.