City judge receives national award

Columbia Falls city judge Susan “Tina” Gordon became a judge to help people, plain and simple.

For her efforts, she recently received national recognition by her peers.

Gordon was awarded the Kenneth L. MacEachern Award by the National Judges Association during the 37th annual NJA conference, held July 17-21 in Biloxi, Mississippi. The award recognizes the most outstanding non-attorney judge in the United States.

“The award given to Judge Gordon is the highest recognition that the NJA bestows,” said Candace Hissong, Executive Director of the NJA. “It is based upon nomination by her peers, and recognizes the outstanding caliber of her commitment to her profession and the community. I know her to be fiercely dedicated to judicial education and to Columbia Falls. Judge Gordon is a credit to the American Judiciary, to Columbia Falls and to Montana. I am proud to call her my colleague and my friend.”

“I’m just honored and humbled. It was totally, totally unexpected,” Gordon said.

Gordon said being a good judge is about serving the people.

“It’s helping my community. I really do feel like so many times its a service to the community. I’m proud and honored to be able to do it.” Gordon added, “My heart is tied to Columbia Falls. I love it here.”

The life-long Columbia Falls resident attended the University of Montana for two years and obtained her associate’s degree in human resources, with an emphasis in interpersonal communications. It was her interest in human rights that led to her becoming a judge.

“I wanted to get into human rights, and it just happened that this job came up,” she said. After being interviewed by other judges, the mayor, and the council, Gordon was appointed and started work as a judge in January, 1988.

Over the course of her career, Gordon has also attended Montana Judicial Institute at the University of Montana and the National Judges college at University of Nevada. She also attends three schools a year, where she learns new procedures and new laws. Two of these are mandated, and Gordon chooses to attend the third one. This helps when it comes time to take the certification test every four years. Certification is crucial, Gordan said, to staying on the bench.

“Whether you’re elected or not, if you don’t pass the certification, they would remove you,” she said.

Being a judge brought Gordon closer to her interest in human rights.

“It’s helped me in a sense,” she said, “the only thing that’s different is that I’m limited by the law ... For example, if someone comes to me and let’s say I know they’ve got a problem, a drinking problem or whatever, I would like to help more, but I can only do what the law allows.”

Sometimes the law not only allows, but will require, mandated counseling, “but I don’t get to evaluate them, I don’t get to investigate the case or go to therapy with them,” Gordon said.

Being a judge keeps Gordon on her feet, something that she enjoys.

“Every day is different, every day is a challenge. Every case is different, and that’s one of the things that makes this job interesting. It’s not the same old, same old every day,” she said. Coming across something new in a case is particularly exciting. “You have to fly by the seat of your pants and just go by the law,” Gordon said, “but I think, all judges, we just want to be fair.”

Gordon credits her team at city court for her success.

“I have an excellent staff. There’s no better thing, in any organization. We get things done, and if it weren’t for my staff that wouldn’t be the case,” she said.