Judges can do more than preside over hearings. They are an important part of bringing stakeholders together to help improve practices and systems. Hear about this work in Nebraska and how you can work with the judiciary to help improve the lives of children and families impacted by substance use.
Judge Lawrence Gendler (ret.) was Sarpy County’s (NE) first full-time juvenile prosecutor and the second juvenile court judge appointed in the county. Since his appointment, he has served on several committees and initiatives across NE. In 2006, he was appointed to the NE Supreme Court Judicial Ethics Committee, became Vice Chair in 2010, and was appointed Chair in the final year of his term. Judge Gendler is an inaugural member of the Supreme Court Committee on Problem-Solving Courts and oversaw the establishment of NE’s first juvenile drug court. In 2006, the Supreme Court established a statewide project called “Through the Eyes of the Child.” Judge Gendler was the Project Chair since its inception, overseeing the establishment and ongoing work of 25 judge-led, multidisciplinary teams across the state, focused on improving outcomes for youth and families in the court system. As Project Chair, he was appointed as an initial
member of the Supreme Court Commission for the Protection of Children in 2006. As partof his Commission duties, he chaired an education subcommittee. Seeking to improve educational outcomes for court-involved youth, the subcommittee designed and implemented an education court report form, which has become a mandatory part of all
child welfare and juvenile justice court reports.