SUMMER 2021
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go and be safe from their abuser and the pandemic, and a place in which they could keep their children safe. Our hope and goal is to be very involved with NAWJ and raise awareness. Many years ago, I (Amy) was very fortunate to have a training by Lundy Bancroft. Everyone, not just judges, should read his book, “Why Does He Do That?” It should be required reading for all people, in my book. (pun intended!) Having been a prosecutor since 1989, when I heard and saw Mr. Bancroft speak in 2004 or so, I had just started a domestic violence court and thought I was pretty darn smart. Mr. Bancroft gave me a whole new perspective on how to handle these cases. He said that in the “olden days”, people did not think twice about bragging that they had so much to drink and then drove home. Somehow, it was OK to say that out loud. Not anymore. As Mr. Bancroft pointed out, MADD and SADD and just general public outrage changed what communities thought of drunk driving. It is not cool. He teaches, we need to do the same with domestic violence. It is not a private family matter, it is a public health crisis. His teaching is that everyone, from the police, to the courts, to probation have to be saying: This is not tolerated in this community. We are checking to see if Mr. Bancroft is available to come speak to us at our Detroit conference next year and that would be a thrill and so educational. In terms of domestic violence being a public health crisis, please visit: https:// www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/ intimatepartnerviolence/index.html It is an eye-opening look at how the CDC views domestic violence and this look applies to how we as judges should view domestic violence. We as co-chairs are so honored have the work of our committee spotlighted in this issue of Counterbalance. Thank you and we hope to have all our members raise awareness and keep on saying: Domestic Violence will not be tolerated in our communities.
I was first appointed to the state trial bench at the age of thirty-eight in 1989. I loved my years serving as a trial judge and, later, as a judge on the Oregon Court of Appeals. And in a few years, due to Oregon’s unique judicial retirement system, I expect to be back on the bench for a while. During my 22 years as a judge, I especially enjoyed getting to know my women judge colleagues around the country and even had the honor of chairing the NAWJ Annual Conference in Portland in 2008, along with the Honorable Julie Frantz, who later became the first NAWJ president from Oregon. (The NAWJ President that year was Hon. Fernande “Nan” Duffly, who has become a very special friend since then and who has strong family connections in Portland, including a fabulous Indonesian restaurant owned by her son and daughter-in-law.)
court rewarding and important, and I enjoyed making a difference through community activities, as retirement age approached, I began to get excited about the idea of that life I had only dreamed of — one that could include more travel, catching up on reading, and who knows, maybe even finally clearing out the basement and garage from thirty years of accumulation! I must admit I also had hopes for even higher office in the American Bar Association, having been the first sitting judge to serve as an ABA officer — Secretary — from 2002-2005. And then, there was always the possibility of another phase of my legal
During my years on the bench, I was about as active as a judge could be in the community, spearheading all manner of judicial outreach programs, like a Citizens Justice Conference in 2000, a “Tell it to the Judge” Annual Law Day Program, and a Jury Reform Symposium. While I always found the work of the
While I always found the work of the court rewarding and important, and I enjoyed making a difference through community activities, as retirement age approached, I began to get excited about the idea of that life I had only dreamed of — one that could include more travel, catching up on reading, and who knows, maybe even finally clearing out the basement and garage from thirty years of accumulation!
