All rise for John Gardner, who was appointed town justice in Pelham last month. Enthusiastic well-wishers have been stopping by the offices of Lambden & Gardner on Elm Place to congratulate “Judge Johnny”.
By Janice Llanes Fabry
All rise for John Gardner, who was appointed town justice in Pelham last month. Enthusiastic well-wishers have been stopping by the offices of Lambden & Gardner on Elm Place to congratulate “Judge Johnny”.
It turns out the successful attorney, who opened a private practice here 17 years ago, had judicial aspirations. “I always wanted to be a judge. When I worked in the D.A.’s office, I saw how important they were to our system of justice. I had terrific role models,” said Mr. Gardner.
Having worked on both sides of the criminal justice system, Mr. Gardner broadened his frame of reference and cultivated his impartiality. He began his career as an intern in Westchester County’s District Attorney’s office in 1985 after graduating from Villanova University and while attending Fordham Law School.
After accepting a full-time appointment in 1986, he found himself on an accelerated track, swiftly moving from the DA’s Special Litigation Division to the City of Yonkers local court branch, where he was assigned misdemeanor trials and felony hearings. He then moved to the Superior Court Trial Division in White Plains, where he prosecuted felony trials in the Career Criminal and Major Offenses and Narcotics divisions. During his tenure, he was responsible for putting dozens of felony offenders behind bars.
“It was rewarding to be able to play a part in taking serious criminals out of society,” said Mr. Gardner, who gives props to the police force and the local courts.
Upon resigning from the DA’s office in 1993, Mr. Gardner became a defense attorney, gaining a more profound understanding of the depth of humanity that is subject to the judicial system. “People charged with crimes are real people with real problems,” he explained. “If we lived in a vacuum, it would be easy to say everyone convicted of a crime should be sent to jail, but there are other considerations and everybody deserves to be treated with a level of respect.”
Mr. Gardner’s affinity for the law was set in motion long before he ever dreamed of donning a black robe and striking a gavel. His father was a lawyer with a real estate practice in New Rochelle. Initially, he followed in his footsteps, not so much for the law as for the lifestyle it afforded their family. One of seven children, he was raised in Larchmont and then Greenwich, and his father was highly involved every step of the way.
“My father used to be at work at 6 a.m. and home by 4, in time to have a catch with us. He was around and was always an important part of our family. I thought it was a nice life. Now, I can do the same thing,” he said.
Although he admittedly doesn’t end his workday by late afternoon, Mr. Gardner makes time to spend with his wife Karen, and their own brood of four, Anna, Johnny, Shannon, and Patrick. His weekends are spent coaching his children’s soccer, basketball, Little League, and travel baseball teams. And because Anna prefers horses to ball playing, he has learned to ride.
Hardly interfering with family time, the judgeship requires his services on the bench every other Wednesday morning and Thursday evening. Although his is an interim appointment, until the end of December, as he replaced retiring Judge Stephen Huff, Mr. Gardner plans to run in November. Already, parents on the many sports teams he coaches have offered their support.
Fresh into his new position, Mr. Gardner said he loves the different vantage point it offers. “I am fortunate that the Pelham court staff is outstanding, and the officers are top-notch.”
His Honour is confident he will positively impact the community. “The experience I have will allow me to move the calendar quickly and handle matters expeditiously. I know I will be fair and bring a balanced approach, a needed skill for a good judge in any community.”
Mr. Gardner, the attorney, will continue handling real estate, trusts, and estates in Rye. “I feel very fortunate to have my office here. Rye is such a wonderful community. I walk around town most afternoons around 3 when the town is abuzz with activity. Fortunately, real estate has remained strong here as well. I feel blessed.”
The verdict is in.