A retiring Superior Court Judge and a longtime court bailiff and interpreter were honored this week at the Gainesville-Northeastern Bar Association’s annual Law Day luncheon for their service and contributions to the local legal community.
BAR ASSOCIATION NEWS RELEASE:
“…Judge Kathelene F. Gosselin was named the recipient of the prestigious A. R. Kenyon Award.
The award is presented to a lawyer whose career exemplifies the values of Professionalism, Integrity, Excellence, and Dedication to the Public Good.
Nominators included U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story, and Wendy Glasbrenner, a former award recipient and Managing Attorney of the Gainesville Georgia Legal Services Program.
Ms. Glasbrenner presented the award and spoke of Judge Gosselin as a “Chicago girl” who made her home in Gainesville in 1980 and went on to become the first woman elected to judicial office in both Hall and Dawson counties. Her heart, noted Ms. Glasbrenner, is with the Mental Health court that she first established in 2004.
Judge Gosselin will retire at the end of 2024 after 38 years on the bench.
Vicente Bautista was also recognized during the ceremony, receiving the Association’s Liberty Bell award (which) honors a non-lawyer who has rendered noteworthy service to the legal community.
It was presented to Mr. Bautista by Judge Gosselin, who recounted first hiring him as a bailiff in Hall County State Court in the 1980s.
She noted he was particularly skillful at assisting a burgeoning population of Spanish speakers arriving in Hall County, and described how he went on to become a certified court interpreter. He exemplified the award criteria, she stated, by promoting a better understanding of the Constitution, encouraging respect for the law and courts, contributing to the effective functioning of our institutions of government, and fostering a better understanding and appreciation of the rule of law.
Mr. Bautista continues to faithfully assist the judicial system each week by providing interpretive services in all classes of court.”