Hon. Robert T. Russell, Jr.

Judge Robert Russell is an Associate Judge for Buffalo City Court
and serves by appointment, as an Acting Erie County Court Judge. In
January of 2008, he created and began presiding over this Country’s first
“Veterans’ Treatment Court”, in collaboration with the Western New York
Health Care Network, Western New York Veterans Project, and with a host
of volunteers veterans that serves as Mentors.

Prior to his service as a Treatment Court Judge for Veterans, he
created in December 1995 “Buffalo’s Drug Treatment Court” and continues
to serve as its Presiding Judge. In addition, in December 2002, he
established and began serving over Buffalo’s Mental Health Treatment
Court. This Court oversees treatment cases involving individuals diagnosed
as severely and persistently mentally ill. The National Alliance for the
Mentally Ill (NAMI), an advocacy organization for the mentally ill, has
awarded Judge Russell the “Nancy D. Smith Memoriam Award,” and
similarly, the Mental Health Association of Erie County has bestowed Judge
Russell with the “Professional Service Award”.
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 (JLI). He is the recipient of the Erie County Bar
Association’s, “Award of Merit,” and the New York State Bar Association,
“Award for Outstanding Judicial Contribution”.