Bearden elected pres. of juvenile judges’ council
Gordon County Juvenile Court Judge J. Lane Bearden was elected as the President of the Council of Juvenile Court Judges of Georgia on Monday, April 28. His term of office will begin on May 1.
Bearden has served as the Gordon County Juvenile Court Judge since June of 1990. He was re-appointed by the four Cherokee Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judges for another four-year term in September of 2012. Bearden presides over all child abuse and neglect cases, and delinquency, unruly and traffic cases involving juveniles under 17 years old.
Bearden said it was an honor to be chosen by his fellow judges to lead their organization.
“The Council has a critical role in shaping our response to child abuse and delinquency, both in Georgia and nationally,” Bearden said. “We have a completely new set of juvenile laws that went into effect in Georgia on January 1, and with those changes and the new challenges we face from a modern community, it is a busy time to be President of this great association.”
Bearden said that his goals for the next year are to include the rural counties into the funding available for treatment and alternatives to detention and foster care, and trying to be sure that judges are implementing evidencebased practices.
“Georgia is on the cutting edge of effective youth interventions,” Bearden said, “but every headline about a juvenile crime or a new case of abuse shows we have a lot to do. Families have changed and the impact that this has on children can sometimes be lost in this transition.”
Bearden cited the example of the new local ADJUST (Alternatives to Detention of Juveniles Using Supervision and Treatment program as an example of using resources in a smarter and more effective way.
“Our County Commissioners understood that we needed a quick and effective response to youths who could no longer be detained under State policy,” Bearden said. “So with their help, we reorganized my staff and were permitted to use an underused facility to develop a Program designed for Gordon County youth. It is now being recognized as a model of collaboration, relying on community resources, which is saving hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars, with better results. As President of the Council, I hope that we can enable other communities to build on both state and local support to craft similar solutions to our at-risk youth.”
As for the headlines about child abuse and neglect around the state, Bearden also explained that, while Gordon county had an excellent staff, attorney, and leadership at our Family and Children’s Services Office, this department is facing immense challenges around Georgia.
“Some in the legislature want to reform DFACs,” he said, “and others have called for a complete privatization of the agency. The judges want to be extremely involved in these decisions, since they are the ones who are ultimately responsible for the government’s efforts to keep our kids safe.”
When asked how he planned to balance his new duties with his local juvenile caseload, a busy local law office, and his work as coach of the city Calhoun High’s debate teams, Bearden said, “There have been parttime judges who served as Presidents before, and survived,” he said. “I am going to rely heavily upon my tremendous juvenile court staff, the support of my sisters at my law office, my family, and our administrators and debate families at school. I have always been told that if you want something done, give it to a busy person. I guess we’ll test that theory.”
Over 1,000 juvenile cases are filed in Gordon County every year. The Juvenile Court position in Gordon County is a parttime position, and when he is not acting as judge, Bearden practices law with his sister, Lynn, in the Bearden Law Firm, in Calhoun.
The Council of Juvenile Court Judges is composed
of all judges of the courts exercising jurisdiction over juveniles. Council membership for fiscal year 2013 includes 148 members: 53 Full-Time Juvenile Courts Judges, 40 Part-Time Juvenile Court Judges; Associate Juvenile Court Judges, Superior Court Judges exercising Juvenile Court Jurisdiction; Pro Tempore Judges, and Senior Judges.
The CJCJ represents Georgia’s juvenile judges in executive agencies and legislative hearings, considers and comments on all proposed statutes and administrative rules concerning Georgia’s children, sponsors continuing education for judges, administers the state’s citizen review panels, provides computer and staff support services for the judges.
In addition to his membership with the Council for over 24 years, Judge Bearden has served on the Executive Committee for four years, has chaired and co-chaired committees including Legislative, Bench-Book, Technology and Guardian Ad Litem, and is a frequent lecturer on juvenile issues.
He serves on the Supreme Court’s J4C (Justice for Children) Committee, the Judicial Council of Georgia, and the Juvenile Justice Reform Implementation Subcommittee. He was appointed by the Governor as a judicial liaison to the Department of Juvenile Justice in 2000. He is the Chair of the Gordon County Child Abuse Protocol Committee, and serves on the Gordon County Child School Attendance Committee.
Volunteers from the Sonoraville High School Interact Club helped organize and support the Better Start Living bicycle ride Saturday, April 26. The Better Start Living ride benefits the local Alzheimer’s Association.
This year’s event was attended by 38 bicycle riders from the Gordon County area, Atlanta, Alabama, and Tennessee. The benefit ride started and finished at Cherokee Cycles in downtown Calhoun. Calhoun Police and Gordon County Sheriffs provided marshalling support throughout the ride.
Daniel Palazzolo from Decatur Garage rode motorcycle support to riders along the route with water, medical supplies, and repair supplies in case of any roadside incidents. Riders traveled a Metric Century, which is a 100 kilometer distance, or 62 miles throughout Gordon and Floyd counties. SHS Interact volunteers helped register the riders, supported water stops along the ride, and served lunch from Wall Street Catering. The event raised $300 for the Alzheimer’s Association.