History
In 2008, Judge Robert Russell (Ret.), the former presiding judge of the Buffalo Drug and Mental Health Courts, created the Nation’s first Veterans Treatment Court in Buffalo as a response to the growing number of veterans appearing on his dockets who were addicted to drugs or alcohol and suffering from mental illness. Judge Russell knew the unfortunate truth: This phenomenon is not unique to Buffalo. He dedicated his efforts to create change.
Immediately following the launch of the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court, Judge Russell and his team fielded requests from courts around the country experiencing the same increases in cases involving veterans.
Within just two years, more than 20 Veterans Treatment Courts launched, and dozens more were in the planning stages. Judge Russell and the staff of the Buffalo court partnered with the Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and assistance to judges and court staff around the country seeking to establish their own Veterans Treatment Courts.
The American Veteran
Watch this short segment from the Veterans Affairs Administration featuring Judge Russell and the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court.
As of November 2020, according to the Veterans Affairs Administration, there were more than 600 Veterans Treatment Courts and other Veteran-focused court programs across the United States.
About Judge Russell
Prior to his retirement in 2021, Judge Robert Russell was an Associate Judge for Buffalo City Court and served by appointment as an Acting Erie County Court Judge.
Before serving as a Veterans Treatment Court Judge, he created Buffalo’s Drug Treatment Court in December 1995 and served as its Presiding Judge until his retirement. In December 2002, he established and began presiding over Buffalo’s Mental Health Treatment Court. This court oversees treatment cases involving individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness.
Judge Russell is the Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, Inc., located in Alexandria, Virginia and the Past President of the New York State Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals, Inc. He also serves on the National Advisory Board of the Judges’ Criminal Justice/Mental Health Leadership Initiative.
Judge Russell is the recipient of the 2003 Erie County Bar Association’s “Award of Merit,” the 2009 Erie County Bar Association’s “Justice Award,” the New York State Bar Association “Award for Outstanding Judicial Contribution”, and the 2010 American Bar Association’s “Franklin N. Flaschner Award” for commitment to high ideals, exemplary character, leadership and competence in performing judicial duties. Community Awards include The Buffalo News “2009 Outstanding Citizen Award” and also the Leadership Buffalo “2010 Openness to Change Award.” In addition, The National Vietnam Veterans of America awarded him the Vietnam Veterans of America “2010 Achievement Medal” and The National Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States awarded him the “2010 James E. Dan Zandt Citizenship Award.”