Please join us for GCBA's next luncheon on:

April 18, 2025 on 12:00 PM at the 1818 Club.

The April Luncheon will honor Retiring Judge Robert Waller: 

SPOTLIGHT! Presiding Judge Robert Waller, Gwinnett County Juvenile Court

By:  Margaret Gettle Washburn, Past President, GCBA

Gwinnett County Juvenile Court Presiding Judge Robert Waller is retiring from the Juvenile Court as of June 30, 2025 and the Gwinnett County Bar Association will celebrate with him, his staff and his family at the GCBA luncheon on April 18, 2025, at the 1818. 

Judge Waller was born in Albany, Georgia, and graduated from Albany High School.  “Rob,” is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Atlanta Law School.  Rob’s career has always been involved with children and families. He was a history teacher at Morrow High School in Clayton County for 4 years and then worked for the Ga. Dept. of Human Resources in Youth Services and in Mental Health/Mental Retardation Substance Abuse for 6 years. 

Judge Waller served as the Solicitor for the Juvenile Court of Gwinnett County from 1986 to 1988, and the Associate Judge of that Juvenile Court from 1988 to 1991.  He was a practicing attorney and part-time Magistrate from 1991 until 2009 when he was sworn in as one of three Juvenile Court Judges.   Judge Waller was appointed as the Presiding Judge of the Gwinnett Juvenile Court in 2020, when Judge Rob Rodatus retired.  

Rob is a Graduate of Leadership Gwinnett and has taught numerous classes for ICLE and ICJE.  He is a past president and founding board member of the Gwinnett Children Shelter, a graduate of Leadership Gwinnett, a former member of the board at the Tull YMCA, among other civic organizations and duties, including the South Gwinnett Rotary Club.  Judge Waller has spoken at several ICLE and ICJE seminars.

Rob is also an ACTOR, as is former Gwinnett County Juvenile Court Judge Steve Franzen’.  In fact, Judge Franzen’ invited Judge Waller to get involved with a theatrical group at his church, the Christ Church Episcopal in Norcross, in 2012. 

Rob played the part of a bartender named “Bugsy,” who ran a Speakeasy in the play “Summertime, ” at the Christ Church.   Steve played the part of the cowboy philosopher and humorist Will Rogers, one of the most beloved entertainers of the early 20th century.  Rob enjoyed his time in theatrical work and found it to be great fun and educational.

While in private practice, Judge Waller took the practice of law and the representation of his clients very seriously, just as he has taken the protection of children seriously in his courtroom. In addition to serving in the Gwinnett Juvenile Court, Rob has worked with the children in Gwinnett County as a former youth basketball coach and competitively coached the Mock Trial teams at the Wesleyan school since 2003. 

Judge Waller graciously accepted my request that he attend the February meeting of the Marion T. Pope Inn of Court and be part of a Judges Panel on February 13, 2025.  The program: “The History of the Inns of Court, Advocacy and Professionalism,” was presented by Pupillage Team 3, including, among others,

Superior Court of Forsyth County Judge Philip C. Smith, Margaret Gettle Washburn, Bob Tharp, Doug Hassinger, and District Attorney Penny A. Penn. The Inns of Court began in 4 different Inns in London in the 1600’s - where lawyers would go to a local pub after court, quaff an ale and talk about their cases; the young lawyers would pose queries to the older barristers… Lawyers still do that…

“MiLord Sir Robert Waller” served on a Judges Panel with Hon. Philip Smith, Superior Court of Forsyth County, Hon. Jeffrey Bagley, Chief Judge, Superior Court of Forsyth County, Hon. David Cannon, Chief Judge, Superior Court of Cherokee County, Hon. Russell McClelland, Chief Judge, State Court of Forsyth County, Hon. Christopher Willis, Presiding Judge, Forsyth County Juvenile Court.  

The berobed and bewigged panelists answered numerous questions about courtroom decorum, professionalism, and advocacy.  

Judge Waller also provided his Trial Tips.

TRIAL TIPS by: PRESIDING JUDGE ROBERT WALLER

1. Work Fast Be Nice Tell Stories (Unless it's a nasty case that you can't win and you are trying to build a record for an appeal, then work fast, be professional, keep your mouth shut.) ((Except to object)).

2. Don't keep hammering a witness in what is (usually) an unsuccessful attempt to make them agree with you. (They are likely to kill you by repeating their testimony until the jury believes it and it is irksome to the Court.)

3.  Don't try to control a witness, just make them look as bad as you can and sit down. (If you can't make them look bad, ask a question that advances your case and sit down. If it is a Bench Trial, sit down quickly!)

4.Remember that you're being watched from the moment that you walk into the courtroom. Everyone in the room has an opinion of you by the time you sit down. (It's hard to improve that bad opinion.) ((It's easy to make it worse.))

5. Smile; Make eye contact; Have relaxed, open body language.   If you can't be relaxed, then have your client look relaxed and pleasant. (Somebody has to be likeable.)

Judge Waller is married to Cindy Wright and has two very successful children, Keegan, and McKenzie.  He attends Christ Church Episcopal in Norcross.

We all appreciate Judge Waller’s 40 years of service to the families and children of Gwinnett County! 

Margaret G. Washburn, Chief Judge, City of Sugar Hill

Margaret G. Washburn, P.C.; margaret@washburnlawoffices.com