Gwinnett Juvenile Judge Wins Statewide Election

Presiding Judge Robert Rodatus of Gwinnett Juvenile Court has been elected president of the Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges to succeed Judge Steven Teske of Clayton County.

The group, based in Atlanta, has about 155 members statewide. The Council staff provides support to juvenile courts through legal research services, legislative tracking and specialized programs aimed at protecting the best interests of children and the state.

Prior to becoming presiding judge in 1991, Rodatus served as chief judge of the Gwinnett County Recorder’s Court. He has also been a senior district attorney in Gwinnett and has worked in private practice and as a law clerk here.

He is on the Board of Governors of the Georgia Bar Association and teaches classes at the Institute for Continuing Judicial Education, the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, and the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council. He has served on the boards of the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services, Families First, and Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful. Rodatus has also served on the Local School Advisory Council as a PTA president and is a graduate of Leadership Gwinnett. He is married with one son and lives in Lawrenceville.

As part of his duties as President he will serve on the Georgia Judicial Council. The Council is composed of representatives of all classes of Courts and develops policy to improve the administration of justice in Georgia.

Gwinnett’s Juvenile Court, with 60 employees, has jurisdiction over children under 17 alleged to be delinquent or to have committed traffic offenses and children under 18 alleged to be unruly, abused or neglected. The court also handles child custody and support issues as well as such matters as termination of parental rights.